Oklahoma News Report

Four of the six gubernatorial candidates participated in a forum on issues facing education. The forum was part of the state educator’s summer summit in Tulsa.

Democrats Lt. Gov. Jari Askins and Attorney General, Drew Edmondson were present, as we GOP political newcomers, Roger Jackson and Robert Hubbard. Absent were Rep. Mary Fallin and State Senator, Randy Brogdon.

The candidates expressed their views on a wide range of issues facing education. Askins said it is time to review how Oklahoma estimates anticipated state revenues to avoid future budget shortfalls.

Edmondson pointed out that studies show dropouts often say they left school because they did not have adequate textbooks or access to field trips and extra curricular activities to keep them engaged and interested in attending classes.

Hubbard told educators the number of students in a class was not as important as the quality of the teacher.

Jackson said the way Oklahoma will keep its best teachers is by raising pay. He went on to suggest cutting school superintendent salaries and reallocating that money for teacher pay.

Immediately after the forum, outgoing Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sandy Garrett, introduced the 12 finalists for Teacher of the Year. They are Brandi Dickson, a 4th grade teacher from Tecumseh. Leesa Dickson, a reading teacher from Claremore. Terri Foughty, a 6th grade reading and language arts teacher from Newcastle. Carol Hunsperger, a third grade teacher from Grove. Karen Watson Lewis, an 8th grade English and reading teacher from Plainview Middle School. Kristi Lovett, an art and studio art teacher from Crescent.
Lynette Miller a 6th grade special education math and language arts teacher from Jenks. Kendra Sue Roulet, an AP U.S. history and non-western culture teacher from Sand Springs. Elizabeth Smith, a 7th grade reading teacher from Byng. Kari Steele, a pre-A.P. literature and composition teacher from Deer Creek Public Schools. Fran Stellman, a family and consumer science teacher from Stillwater. And, Meridith Wronnowski, a biology, chemistry and biotechnology teacher from Oklahoma City.

Wednesday night, all six candidates Gubernatorial candidates were gathered at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah for the final candidate’s forum hosted by the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals before Tuesday’s primary election.

The Academy has historically hosted issues forums to give the public a chance to come out in person to hear from candidates on a wide variety of issues. To make this forum even more accessible, NSU webcast it live on the internet. Unlike a debate, a forum isn’t confrontational. Instead, each candidate gets the same amount of time to answer exactly the same questions.

The Academy gave the candidates some of the questions a week ahead of time so they could prepare answers, however there was also a segment of the forum devoted to questions from the audience that the candidates have not seen in advance.

I noticed the mostly older, mostly white audience of more than 300 politely listened to the prepared questions, but they appeared more interested and engaged while listening to responsed to the audience questions. Some responses got spontaneous bursts of applause, or audible gasps such as when Roger Jackson suggested Oklahoma should legalized medical marijuana for terminally ill patients.

In this segment we meet the Marlands. Their family dynamic was different to say the least.

The Marland Mansion in Ponca City is as rich in stories as it is opulent to behold. The mansion is one of the largest private homes ever built in America. It is the largest ever built in Oklahoma. The 43,000 plus square foot structure was modeled after a palace in Italy. It was orginally intended as the personal home for just three people even though it required a staff of 130 (give or take) to operate.

I recently had the opportunity to go through the mansion with photographer, Tim Carson, for a semi behind the scenes tour of the magnificent mansion that is now owned and operated by the city of Ponca City. Check out this story and part two of our trip to the Marland Mansion to see how the fabulously wealthy lived in the hey day of Oklahoma’s oil boom.

The Belvidere Mansion is open daily for lunch and tours and serves as a popular spot for weddings, proms, and parties.

The Mansion also hosts one of the most popular Christmas decoration displays in Northeast, OK each December.