Across the U.S., states are seeing an increase in school restrictions, particularly on books and critical race theory, with Oklahoma having at least 13 pieces of legislation since 2020 pertaining
Oklahoma lawmakers respond to BLM protests
Following Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020 and the January 2021 insurrections at the Capitol, legislators throughout the country have been tasked with finding ways to respond to calls for change. In Oklahoma, several recently authored bills during the 58th legislative session have been criticized for the hypocrisy of their approach to the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly in light of the insurrections at the Capitol.
One such bill is SB 834, written by Senator Blake Stephens (R-Tahlequah), State Senator Darrell Weaver (D-Moore), and House Representative Ross Ford (R-Broken Arrow). This bill is classified as “Back the Blue” bill, according to its authors, who have stated that law enforcement officials are under attack by the “defund the police” movement and an overall “toxic environment.” This bill, which they argue will help with police recruitment and retention, would increase retirement benefits and