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News
September 14, 2023
State superintendent endorses PragerU teaching materials

The Oklahoma Department of Education on Tuesday announced it has partnered with PragerU, a Californiabased nonprofit that publishes free online video lessons for students that its talk-radio host founder says indoctrinates children with conservative views.

Superintendent Ryan Walters endorsed the content.

“This expansion of our available resources will help ensure high quality materials rich in American history and values will be available to our teachers and students,” he said in a written statement.

But there is reason for concern. For one, teachers, parents and historians say the videos contain misinformation and whitewashed history. Animated characters in the videos down- slavery and climate change.

Second, the PragerU materials have not been vetted by the state’s textbook committee, the process the state uses to review curriculum for quality and alignment to state standards. But the Education Department now links to lesson plans and PragerU materials on its website.

There’s no contract with the state and no said Dan Isett, a department spokesman, adding that PragerU plans to create Oklahoma specific materials in the future.

It’s worth considering, too, how PragerU operates. Despite its name, PragerU is not a university. It’s a nonprofit organization that describes its mission like this: “We promote American values through the creative use of digital media.” The organization received $65.5 million in revenue in 2021, mostly through donations, according to public tax documents.

It spent nearly $21 million that year on advertising — over $9 million at Facebook, $7 million at Google, and $1 million at Fox News. The organization is one of the top ad buyers on Facebook, with more than $17 million spent on 25,000 ads between May 2018 and August 2023, according to Meta’s ad data.

The ads promote petitions to get PragerU content in schools and accuse teachers of promoting “radical ideas about gender, race and anti-Americanism,” a talking point repeated regularly by conservative politicians, including Walters.

Oklahoma is the second state to approve schools’ use of PragerU Kids, after Florida.

What do you think of the state’s partnership with PragerU? I’d love to hear from you via email or direct message.

— Jennifer Palmer jpalmer@oklahomawatch.org – email.

Jennifer Palmer@ jpalmerOKC – direct message.

Checotah tops Mu Id row 7-6 in Homecoming game
Sports
Checotah tops Mu Id row 7-6 in Homecoming game
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
September 28, 2023
It was a defensive battle all night as the Checotah Wildcats (4-1, 1-0 District 3A-3) survived to get a 7-6 win over the Muldrow Bulldogs. The team had a big week as they kicked off Homecoming with th...
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Eufaula Lady Ironheads win Regional Championship
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Eufaula Lady Ironheads win Regional Championship
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
September 28, 2023
The Eufaula Lady Ironheads (21-9) outlasted Chandler in a dramatic finish 2-1 Thursday at Chris Gawf Field in Eufaula. Eufaula and Chandler battled throughout the championship game with great pitching...
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Hayden and Dan Jeffries win Crappie Masters National Championship
Sports
Hayden and Dan Jeffries win Crappie Masters National Championship
September 28, 2023
The National Championship on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma has come to an end! After three days of competition, $125,000.00 was awarded in cash and prizes! Taking home the third-place trophy and $...
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Winzley Joe Vanna Ray White
Obituaries
Winzley Joe Vanna Ray White
September 28, 2023
Sept. 11, 2023 – Sept. 15, 2023Winzley Joe Vanna Ray White was born Sept. 11, 2023 in McAlester, Oklahoma to Jamon Ray White and Wittany Nicole Kess.She peacefully passed away in her sleep on Sept. 15...
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Nancy Marie Mouser
Obituaries
Nancy Marie Mouser
September 28, 2023
Nancy Marie Mouser, 66, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, passed away Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, at St. Francis Hospital of Tulsa. Nancy was born on Nov. 3, 1956, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, the daughter of Richard...
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News
Court Report
September 28, 2023
McIntosh County District Court ReportMisdemeanor CasesChase Alexander Brooks-McGuffin: possession of CDS; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia Dallan Ray Davis: threaten to perform an act of viol...
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Sports
Fun-Facts of Sooners verses Longhorns
September 28, 2023
Just for the sake of facts, as the Texas game is around the corner, and talk is already happening, and the narrative that OU’s last year’s loss was the largest margin of victory in the series, is stil...
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Sports
OU-Texas kickoff time announced
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
September 28, 2023
The 2023 Red River Rivalry will commence at 11 a.m. on Oct. 7 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. ABC is broadcasting the game.The last time OUTexas wasn’t an 11 a.m. start was 2017, when it began at 2:30. ...
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Sports
Sooners firepower too much for Bearcats
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
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No. 16 Oklahoma defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats 20-6 Saturday in the first Big 12 Conference game for Cincinnati. OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 26 of 38 passes for 322-yards and two touchdo...
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Eufaula Softball Senior Night
Sports
Eufaula Softball Senior Night
September 28, 2023
Adyson Beaver is escorted by her parents Megan and John Beaver and Coach Green and Coach Efurd.
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Ironheads rally late to get win over Spiro
Sports
Ironheads rally late to get win over Spiro
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
September 28, 2023
The Eufaula Ironheads (2-2, 1-0 District 2A-6)) had to rally late in the fourth quarter to defeat a tough Spiro Bulldogs team 30-20. The Ironheads had to rely on senior running back Gavin Watkins who ...
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