Readers talk about online safety, Trump and schools

It happens far too often these days, but Congress is once again considering a terribly flawed bill that would have major consequences for us here at home in the Sooner State. This bill, ironically named the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), claims to protect children on the internet but would fail to do so, all while threatening the personal freedoms that Oklahomans care so deeply about. As such, I feel compelled to speak out against KOSA on behalf of my friends, family and neighbors.
KOSA’s goals are appreciated, and nobody is against making the internet safer for kids. However, its provisions raise serious concerns regarding freedom of speech, government control over the internet and parental rights. If passed, KOSA could not only pave the way for increased surveillance but also threaten our First Amendment rights by giving the government — likely influenced by liberal officials — the power to decide what is or isn’t “appropriate” for children online. This opens the door to potential censorship of diverse viewpoints, including conservative perspectives, and undermines the role of parents in guiding their children’s online activity.
The best way to protect children online is through strong parental involvement, not government intervention. Each family has its unique values and challenges, and one-size-fits-all solutions like this one simply don’t work. The government should not be stepping into the role of parents, especially when it comes to making informed decisions about their children’s online growth and education. KOSA takes away this essential right and hands that power over to unelected bureaucrats in Washington.
Congressman Brecheen has always been a strong defender of individual liberties, and I know he cares deeply about protecting the rights of families in Oklahoma. That’s why I’m calling on him and his colleagues in the House to oppose KOSA and champion policies that respect the autonomy of parents, our freedom of speech, and the values that make our country so great.
― Benjamin Boyer, McAlester
Let’s see ― petty, greedy, narcissistic, serial liar, corrupt, megalomanic, demagogue, bully, self-serving, (among other descriptions) without a shred conscience or decency. He (Donald Trump) makes fun of veterans, i.e John McCain, who should be enshrined as a national hero, Gold Star families, people with disabilities, and yet, Christians, veterans and people with disabled people in their families support him. He says there are good Nazis. My father, if he were alive, would disagree, because he left a wife and five children in El Reno to spend a couple of years in Europe to ensure that never happened again. My grandfather was a German immigrant. 
When he left office, he had mishandled the COVID crisis and the economy was in a shambles. He calls Jan. 6 a peaceful tour of the Capitol. He had the lowest approval rating of most any president in my lifetime, and I’m 82. It’s amazing how history can be re-written simply by telling a lie long enough and loud enough that people actually believe it, and apparently a short memory is what politicians count on. I served four years in the U.S. Navy and I have never felt so out of touch with my country in my entire life! 
― Richard Koebrick, Oklahoma City
As Oklahomans, our state educational system is in crisis and failing our children. We must advocate for better quality teaching staff and integrated special services to change this, as student developmental delays and mental health crises are at an all-time high across the state. Oklahoma ranks 49th in education and 46th in overall child wellbeing ― statistics that reflect poorly on our state schools superintendent who plans to spend at least $3 million of funding on Bibles instead of boosting more teacher salaries or expanding special services programs to meet the mental health needs of students.
According to the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (2024), Oklahoma approved a record-breaking number of 5,014 emergency teaching certificates just in the 2023-2024 school year, an all-time high compared to the 189 approved just a decade before-hand. To make matters worse, Oklahoma ranks 5th highest in the U.S. for Adverse Childhood Experiences, meaning our children experience more traumatic events than almost any other children in the nation (OSDE, 2022). The American School Counselor Association recommends that schools have at least 250 to 1 ratio for counselors to students; as of the 2022-2023 school year the average student to counselor ratio was 363 to 1 in Oklahoma (ACSA, 2023).
As a community mental health worker who works in early education, these statistics not only devastate me but terrify me. I am constantly helping children and families navigate the barriers they face in getting access to quality education and special services every day. These disadvantages have defined Oklahoma’s education system for far too long, making us become the laughingstock of the nation and even worse, detrimentally crippling our children’s ability to learn and thrive.
These statistics must be changed for the better and I am desperately calling for our state lawmakers and the Legislature to investigate Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s spending. I urge our political leaders to stop focusing on religiously indoctrinating our children and to start focusing on meeting their educational, developmental and mental health needs. I encourage all Oklahomans to advocate for the same, as our entire state’s future depends on the next generation of children’s success.
― Sara Vannoy, Norman
When we admit that a RINO is a de facto Democrat, we’re forced to admit that the Democrats control both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
As evidenced by their voting for RINOs as House speaker and Senate president pro tempore. So, the House and Senate will fight Trump in virtually everything he tries to do. Also, Trump only won 51% of the popular vote, which is as far from a landslide as you can get. …
Trump is going to have to exert some real leadership to keep the midterm elections from being a disaster. Based on his past performance, I think he is up to the task.
― Michael Jones, Oklahoma City