Civility Versus Hostility

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"For the Children" Column for Week of Sept. 1, 2025

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Interim study season at the Oklahoma State Capitol is kicking off this week, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is not only monitoring several, but we are engaging with authors for some of these reviews. Two studies will be held soon which I would like to highlight. The first is by Rep. Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow, to cover the intent of his House Bill 1100 and House Bill 1164, two bills to restructure how Oklahoma Human Services employees may take children into foster care custody and strengthen the threshold necessary to remove children from homes. The result would be similar to what we see in tribal human services cases and with other states like Kansas and Texas. Another by Reps. Danny Williams, R-Seminole; Colin Duel R-Edmond; Woolley; Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; and Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan would look at potential improvements to the Oklahoma Family Court system, with an emphasis on child-centered outcomes. This study will examine disparities in Oklahoma’s family court system and explore the creation of a unified statewide family court model. There is no question that positive changes must be made in these state foster systems designed to place children in the best possible situation until they can return home. In 2020, over 6,500 children were in custody of the state, and 450 were waiting for loving homes. While there have been significant improvements recently, there are about 5,800 children currently in the foster care system, with a need for more than 700 additional foster families to help provide stability for these children. Additionally, children often must be taken hours away from their communities to find a stable setting. In 2024, data showed that one-third of Oklahoma children in foster care were moved to homes or group facilities at least two counties away. Many current programs are working and should receive support. The school-based social worker program is one which has helped parents. Workers provide wraparound services, including completing complicated applications for food support programs, insurance submissions, and even driver’s license paperwork, which has proven to be effective in helping families maintain stability and better provide for their children, thus decreasing removals. Additional support for the Oklahoma court network to recruit judges who specialize in juvenile issues could decrease the time which children linger in the system, along with directing toward additional support services for families to receive the help they need for reunification. Unfortunately, our state suffers from a lack of such services, especially in the rural areas of our state. Often, judges are forced into juvenile dockets which they have no interest or experience in those types of cases. Incentives to recruit those to the bench who would want to work in this area, along with improved funding for familial services and additional funds to better train and reduce the case log for Human Services workers are needed. Another much-needed reform is legislation authored by Rep. Nick Archer which would increase the reimbursement rate for foster families by increasing that daily stipend. It has been almost a decade since rates have increased, and this has been a problem as families simply cannot afford to take children into their home without sufficient support to help provide for them. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, go to https://okfosters.org/oklahoma-human-services/ where you can learn more about how you can help a youth or a sibling set with the stability they need until they can return to their biological family. If you want to see better results for our children in this type of need, reach out to your own lawmakers to encourage support and certainly watch these studies at https://www.okhouse.gov or attend them when they are held at the Capitol.

On Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, 59 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from across Oklahoma gathered at the Oklahoma County OSU Extension on office as the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy and Oklahoma 4-H hosted the 2024 Kid Governor® Conference, in cooperation with the Connecticut Democracy Project. The students learned about Oklahoma government and conducted a campaign for the next Kid Governor® of Oklahoma. The 2025 Oklahoma Kid Governor is Emma Stephens, and she and her cabinet were sworn in at the State Capitol in February of this year. On Saturday, Aug. 9, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) partnered with the Foster Care Association of Oklahoma (FCAO) to hold a back-to-school bash for more than 350 foster youth and caregivers. The event was held at Wheeler Park in Oklahoma City, and multiple partner organizations provided resource information for families. Thanks to a generous donor, OICA sponsored the music supplied by the Rockin’ Roly Polys, a kid’s rock band, and dinner was provided by Dado’s Pizza. We also thank the Oklahoma City Fire Department, longstanding supporters of foster care assistance programs, for being present to visit with the youth and should anyone become overheated. FCAO stepped in when one of the normal annual events could not occur, and I will say it went flawlessly thanks to their hard work. For OICA, this event signals the beginning of the school year but truly plans started for families weeks ago. The first weekend of August saw the statewide sales tax holiday for shoppers. This legislation was authored by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, now with OICA, nearly two decades ago. Due to budget restrictions, this was limited to specific clothes items, matching the Texas sales tax holiday. There is discussion that this might expand to athletic equipment and school supplies, so please reach out to your own lawmakers if you feel this would benefit families. More recent legislation will also impact students as the “bell to bell, no cell” law goes into effect this year. With certain exceptions dealing with health issues, this law prevents students from having their mobile devices on them during school hours. After this first year, schools will be able to adapt policies which best fit their school district as determined by the own local school board. In addition, State Superintendent Ryan Walters expressed his desire for school meals to be offered at no cost to students, along with an end to the school standardized testing required under state and federal law. Though not policy yet, for testing, he has submitted a waiver request to the federal government to eliminate this requirement. Both policies must also be addressed by the Legislature for amending laws relating to each, along with necessary funding allocations. The most exciting part of the school year for OICA directly is the kick-off of our annual Kid Governor® program. This is a project for which OICA is the state affiliate of this nationally based program. Free curriculum approved by the State Department of Education is provided to 5th grade teachers for lesson plans about state government. The role of elected officials is a highlight, as is the importance of voting when the students turn 18. The program also encourages civility in resolving policy disagreements. Teachers can opt into an enhanced program that allows them to hold a classroom election, with the winner in each class competing statewide for the office of Kid Governor®. The winner is selected by votes from the students going through the program, showing them how voting with ballots works. The Kid Governor and cabinet members speak to civic organizations and work with lawmakers to see ideas they promote possibly become law. Go to https://ok.kidgovernor.org/ to learn more about the program. Additionally, OICA has partnered with Oklahoma 4-H to hold an “Oklahoma 4-H Junior Governor” program, a one-day civics-based conference with students who range from 4th to 6th grades. Check with your county 4-H extension leader for how your 4-Her can participate or contact Cathleen Taylor at cathleen.taylor@okstate.edu for more information. We hope you will share this information with your local 5th grade teachers and 4-H leaders as we want to see these young Oklahomans are prepared to hold an elective office someday, with possibly even a future governor inspired by this! 

OKLAHOMA’S KID GOVERNOR® EMMA STEPHENS (right, standing) of Ardmore along with Kid Secretary of State Lawson Reams of Alva (right, kneeling) and Kid Cabinet members (from left on the left) Alburto Harmon of Perry and Clayton Rohla of Roff, pose at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City where they spent a Saturday volunteering as part of the Kid Governor® program, designed to teach fifth-graders the importance of public service and how government operates. (Courtesy Photo) Oklahoma’s Kid Governor® Emma Stephens and several of the Kid Cabinet members recently volunteered for a day at City Rescue Mission in Oklahoma City. Stephens, now a sixth grader from Ardmore who attends Oak Hill Episcopal School, was joined by the Kid Secretary of State Lawson Reams from Alva who attends Lincoln Elementary School, and Kid Cabinet members Clayton Rohla from Roff Elementary School in Roff, and Alburto Harmon from Morrison Elementary in Perry. All the Kid Governor® leaders are now sixth graders, having been elected during their fifth-grade year, and all are active members of Oklahoma 4-H, which partnered with the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) to put on the program for 2025. “We are very proud of all our Kid elected officials,” said Joe Dorman, CEO of OICA. “Each of them is learning the lessons necessary to take the reins of leadership when their time comes to lead this state. All of Oklahoma should be proud of these kids for giving up a Saturday to help others.” OICA Program Director Licia Walters accompanied the young leaders during their service at City Rescue Mission. “These are impressive young people who took their work very seriously,” said Walters, who directly oversees the program. “They were engaged, enthusiastic, and helped brighten the day by serving meals to many who depend on City Rescue Mission and helping to clean up.” For the past eight years, the OICA has sponsored Oklahoma’s Kid Governor program. Three years ago, Oklahoma became the fourth state in the national Kid Governor® program, developing a state-specific curriculum on voting and government. Oklahoma 4-H partnered with OICA for this year’s Kid Governor program. Classroom sign-up for the 2025-2026 school year is underway. The next Oklahoma Kid Governor® will be elected from registered fifth-grade classrooms this November and will be sworn in during a State Capitol ceremony in February 2026. If you are a fifth-grade teacher and would like to sign up your class, or get more information, contact Licia Walters by email at lwalters@oica.org or by telephone at 405-326-KIDS (5437). You can also go to https://ok.kidgovernor.org in order to learn more about the program. A separate program is being conducted solely for 4-H members. 4-H members in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades who would like to participate in that program can sign up through Oklahoma 4-H’s enrollment system; only Fifth Graders can run for 4-H Kid Governor. For more information on the 4-H/KG program, contact Cathleen Taylor at the state 4-H office at cathleen.taylor@okstate.edu . The purpose of Kid Governor® is to educate students about elections and the role of public service and elected officials in creating a brighter tomorrow.

A few weeks ago, I highlighted the interim studies approved by the state Senate. This week, I want to cover some from the House of Representatives. Interim studies are officially filed reviews of specific policies which lawmakers wish to request a hearing to delve further into the issue. These studies must be approved by the leadership of the body in which they are submitted. They are held during the time in which legislators are not in session, usually over the fall months. In total, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is following or assisting with more than 20 of the 154 House studies that were filed. Here are some which stand out: 25-001 by Rep. Woolley (R-Broken Arrow) - deals with custodial issues involving Oklahoma Human Services cases. 25-003 by Rep. Archer (R-Elk City) – increasing reimbursement rate for families who are foster/bridge parents. 25-022 by Rep. Pogemiller (D-OKC) - problems resulting in chronic absenteeism from school. 25-035 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC) and Pae (R-Lawton) - needs faced by state juvenile detention facilities. 25-036 by Reps. Gise (R-OKC), Pae (R-Lawton), and Turner (R-Kinta) - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program policies. 25-047 by Reps. Turner (R-Kinta), Gise (R-OKC), and Norwood (R-Owasso) - policies governing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline. 25-051 by Reps. Pae (R-Lawton) and Gise (R-OKC) - support for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs do forensic interviews of children who have been involved in a horrific situation. These interviews are often admissible in court to help convict perpetrators. OICA is not a CAC as we are involved with overall children’s policies). 25-053 by Rep. Pae (R-Lawton) - youth homelessness. 25-055 by Reps. Menz (D-Norman), Waldron (D-Tulsa), and Pogemiller (D-OKC) - childhood hunger. 25-063 by Rep. Ranson (D-Stillwater) - establishing a Department of Early Childhood in Oklahoma. 25-070 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC) - childcare accessibility and DHS Star Rating, affordable daycare for working families. 25-073 by Rep. Timmons (D-OKC)- education reading readiness. 25-078 by Rep. Schreiber (D-Tulsa) and Sen. Gollihare (R-Kellyville) (joint study between both bodies) - strengthening victim services in Oklahoma. 25-079 by Rep. Bashore (R-Miami) - mitigation of the effects of fentanyl. 25-102 by Reps. Tedford (R-Tulsa) and Harris (R-Edmond) - joint equal shared custody with divorced parents. 25-105 by Rep. Pittman (D-OKC) - food insecurity and agricultural solutions. 25-109 by Reps. Lay (R-Tulsa) and Adams (R-Duncan) - improving foster home environments. 25-110 by Rep. Adams (R-Duncan) - children’s court reforms. 25-111 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Sneed (R-Fort Gibson), and Stinson (R-Edmond) - rural healthcare access (Medicare/Medicaid). 25-115 by Reps. Williams (R-Seminole), Hardin (R-Stilwell), and Kelley (R-Yukon) - life without parole sentencing review. 25-116 by Rep. Munson (D-OKC) - human trafficking and victim’s services. 25-126 by Reps. Chapman (R-Broken Arrow) and Stinson (R-Edmond) - federal Medicaid cuts to states. 25-130 by Rep. West (R-OKC) - public-private partnership for Family Resource Centers. 25-135 by Rep. Alonso-Sandoval (D-OKC) – creation of an Oklahoma Youth Advisory Council. We were pleased to see so many submissions which directly deal with children and families. When it comes to those studies dealing with children, OICA is a resource to assist lawmakers by providing state and local data, along with best practices, for potential legislation, along with connecting advocates to help them pursue the best policies.. If you would like to review the list of the House studies, you can see them at https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx and Senate studies are at https://oksenate.gov/publications/interim-studies?Year=2025 for your review. If you would like to be notified of when the study will occur, you can contact the office of the lawmaker who requested the study at their Capitol office. You can connect with lawmakers at https://www.okhouse.gov/ or https://www.oksenate.gov/ through their individual pages.

I first became acquainted with Governor Nigh not directly because of politics, but through a college program called the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (OIL). This organization allows students to attend from their institution at a mock legislature held at Oklahoma’s State Capitol each semester. The students write ideas into legislation and debate those policies with peers, simulating state government. Governor Nigh was the state official who helped sponsor their first meeting held in 1969 and is regarded as the father of the organization. OIL is what shaped my future in public service, so I owe him a great debt of gratitude. As a lawmaker, he attended several events through the years in my district, with most, if not all, showing up to see and visit with him. From there, I would grow to know him and hear his many tales of Oklahoma history. For those not aware, Rep. George Nigh was the youngest-elected state representative in 1953 when he first ran for office. His most famous accomplishment as a lawmaker was changing our state song from “Oklahoma, a Toast” to the Rodgers & Hammerstein song “Oklahoma!” from the musical. You can view the story as told by Nigh at https://tinyurl.com/NighOKSong . Nigh went on to serve as lieutenant governor, the youngest in the nation, and then had the distinction of being sworn into the office of governor four separate times, twice to fill vacancies and then to be Oklahoma’s first two-term elected chief executive. In fact, he won all 77 counties in his race for re-election to governor. As governor, Nigh was a trailblazer, appointing the first two women to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court and selecting minority representation to serve on state agencies, boards, and commissions, and even those from differing political parties. Following his elective career, George served as the director of Tourism, the president of the University of Central Oklahoma, and as a founding member of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature Foundation, along with so many other roles. Governor Nigh joked that the first time he realized that he was no longer governor was when he got into the back of a car, and it did not move. He, later in life, did not drive, so it fell on to others to ensure that he made it to events, including the delivery of graduation speeches over a 75-year period. I became one of his “chauffeurs” for speeches, and his entourage of drivers ranged from students to even former Govs. David Walters and Frank Keating. My first time driving him was to my hometown for the funeral of former Lt. Gov. Spencer Bernard in 2001, the person who served alongside him. I escorted him to Oklahoma American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, where he spoke at 73 conferences, only missing one recently due to a health issue. Other opportunities included the OICA Heroes Ball and OICA’s Kid Governor® events, of which he was one of our strongest supporters of this grade school civics program. In fact, it was at that age that he decided that he wanted to be a governor, so this was very dear to him. You can watch a video about his thoughts at https://tinyurl.com/GovNighReflects . George Nigh was the epitome of stateman, and I consider him a mentor, as did so many other politicos through the many generations. I last saw him a month ago when he spoke to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. Up until the end, he promoted the thought that we all need to work together for the betterment of our great state. I’ll conclude with a Nigh quote about the musical, “Oklahoma!” that fits him perfectly: "Do for your life what they did for our state — put an exclamation point behind your life!”

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) and its CEO Joe Dorman released the following statement on the passing of Gov. George Nigh at the age of 98: “The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy mourns the passing of one of our greatest patrons and an Oklahoma statesman without compare, The Honorable George Nigh. Governor Nigh was a staunch supporter of OICA and the Kid Governor program. His memory will guide us in the years ahead and our deepest sympathies go to his family and the entire state. “Goodbye to my friend, mentor, and a true public servant, the modern-day Will Rogers of Oklahoma. My life was certainly better for you being a part of it.”