American History? Our Public Schools Fail!

Only one in four public high-school students in Oklahoma can name the first President of the United States.

This is one of the many unsettling findings of a survey commissioned by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) to coincide with Constitution Day, which will be observed tomorrow.

OCPA commissioned a national research firm, Strategic Vision, to determine Oklahoma public high-school students' level of basic civic knowledge. The firm's surveys have been used by Time, Newsweek, and USA Today, and National Journal's "Hotline" has cited them as some of the most accurate in the country.

Students were given 10 questions drawn from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) item bank. Candidates for U.S. citizenship are required to answer six questions correctly in order to become citizens. According to the USCIS, the first-try passing rate is 92 percent.

In this survey, the passing rate for Oklahoma's public high-school students was 2.8 percent.

"In that miracle at Philadelphia 222 years ago, the Framers gave us a document which they hoped would secure our freedoms," said OCPA vice president Brandon Dutcher. "But they knew that only a well-informed citizenry could remain free. If these survey results are any indication, we are very much a nation at risk."

As the OCPA analysis writes, "The promotion of knowledge of American government and history represents a core mission of Oklahoma's public schools. They are failing miserably to fulfill that mission. The results of this survey are deeply troubling. Despite billions of taxpayer dollars and a set of academic standards that cover all of the material, Oklahoma high-schools students display an overwhelming ignorance of the institutions that undergird political freedom."

An analysis of the survey results appears in the September issue of Perspective, OCPA's monthly magazine.

OCPA is a think tank which formulates and promotes public policies based on the principles of free enterprise and limited government.

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OCPA: Recession Doesn't Affect Government

As more than 36,000 Oklahomans are dealing with the reality of losing their jobs during this recession, there is one sector of Oklahoma's economy that is proving to be remarkably recession-proof: government. Oklahoma's state and local governments have added 8,600 jobs since the recession began.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), a free-market think tank, reports that private-sector employment in Oklahoma has dropped by 2.9 percent -- to 1.23 million workers from 1.266 million workers -- between January 2008 (the official beginning of this recession) and July 2009 (the latest data available).

In contrast, state government has grown by 2.3 percent -- to 85,400 workers from 83,500 workers. Oklahoma's local governments have grown by 3.4 percent -- to 201,800 workers from 195,100 workers.

The employment data, released last week, are compiled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. Department of Labor.

From July 2000 to July 2009, Oklahoma's private-sector employment has risen by 2.8 percent, while state government employment rose by 9.6 percent and local government employment rose by a staggering 27.1 percent.

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OCPA Names Claunch As Executive Director

Former State Rep. Forrest Claunch of Midwest City is the new executive director of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

Dr. David Brown, Chairman of the Board of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, announced Claunch's appointment today: "Forrest has served in Operations and Special Projects since February 2008, and will assume the duties of Executive Director of OCPA immediately. This appointment will enable the continuity of our work while the OCPA Presidential Selection Committee continues the process of selecting a new President.

"Forrest brings detailed knowledge and a passion for the important efforts of OCPA to advance the research and analysis of public issues in Oklahoma from a perspective of limited government, individual liberty and a free-market economy," Dr. Brown continued, "and his experience in the private sector and ten years in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives have proven an asset to OCPA."

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OCPA's Brown Honored By Heritage Foundation

Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Chairman Dr. David R. Brown has received the highest award of The Heritage Foundation, the leading Washington, D.C., think tank he helped build.

In presenting Brown with Heritage's Clare Boothe Luce Award at an Oklahoma City dinner gathering, his Heritage colleagues cited his instrumental role in the 1993 founding of OCPA, an early example of a trend toward conservative, state-level policy research shops.

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Bolton Headlines OCPA Citizenship Dinner

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) will hold its Citizenship Dinner on Monday, March 23rd at the Cowboy Hall of Fame with former UN Ambassador John Bolton as the speaker.

Bolton was appointed as United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations on August 1, 2005 and served until his resignation in December 2006. Prior to his appointment, Bolton served as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security from May 2001 to May 2005.

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Hopper Smith Forms Consulting Company

The former president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Hopper Smith, announced today that he has formed Strategic Resource Consulting, a public affairs firm specializing in energy and natural resource initiatives.

“In Oklahoma, issues and opportunities relating to energy and natural resources are at the forefront of discussion. Oklahoma’s economy runs on natural resources and, as a state, we should seek to strike a responsible balance between conservation and marketability,” Smith said.

Smith said he would use his years of experience in Oklahoma public affairs working on energy and natural resource issues to advance initiatives and infrastructure projects to develop Oklahoma’s natural resources.

In announcing his new endeavor, Smith said he appreciated his tenure at OCPA. “I am grateful to the board for the opportunity they gave to me. OCPA has been a positive force in advancing fiscally responsible public policy in Oklahoma for many years. I know OCPA will continue to bring perspective to a number of issues and opportunities facing our state.”

Smith is a former state representative from 1996-2003 who served on the House Energy Committee. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from Oklahoma State University.

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Hopper Smith Leaving Public Affairs Council

The president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) announced today he is leaving that post effective Thursday.

Hopper T. Smith's public announcement came during an interview with KTOK morning show host Reid Mullins. He declined to reveal his next job.

Smith joined the OCPA staff in 2007. He was a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1996 to 2003, where he served as Assistant Minority Leader and Minority Whip.

Smith has served 20-plus years in the Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade and currently holds the rank of Colonel. In 2003, he resigned his legislative seat to serve a tour in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. During his service, he earned the Combat Infantry Badge and Bronze Star Medal. Upon his return he worked for Chesapeake Energy Corporation as their Director of Government Relations. He holds a degree in Geology from Oklahoma State University and a masters in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College.

OCPA announced that it will conduct a search for a new president. Applications from interested parties may be submitted through February 28, 2009. All interested parties should contact H. Edward DeBee at DeBee Gilchrist, 100 North Broadway, Suite 1500, Oklahoma City, OK 73102, 405-232-7777, for application requirements and information about the selection process.

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Poll: Little Support For Little Schoolers!

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs reports that new survey data tell us that Oklahoma voters, by a margin of better than two to one, oppose the creation of a public school program for three-year-olds.

A statewide survey of 500 registered voters, commissioned by OCPA and conducted by Cole, Hargrave, Snodgrass and Associates, shows that 65 percent of Oklahomans oppose the creation of a new program, while 29 percent are in favor. Six percent of respondents are undecided. The survey, which was conducted April 23-26, has a margin of error of +/- 4.3 percent.

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Mark Nichols Leaving OCPA

Mark Nichols, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, has resigned to accept a position in Wichita, Kansas, as director of public affairs for Koch Industries.

His departure is revealed in a post on the blog of OCPA executive Brandon Dutcher by Dutcher's wife. The families have been neighbors and friends for years.

Nichols, president of OCPA for four years, is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma School of Law. He was a member of former U. S. Senator Don Nickles' staff, was involved in the Bush-Cheney Oklahoma campaign and managed Steve Largent's campaign for governor in 2002.

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Dutcher's Thoughts On Conservative Think Tanks

By Brandon Dutcher ~ One of the most rewarding aspects of my work here at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is having an opportunity to interact with state think tank compadres from around the country and to realize that our organizations truly are making a difference. Last week I traveled to the nation’s capital for a series of meetings hosted by the State Policy Network, the professional service organization for America’s state-based, free-market think tank community. Read Brandon's column here.

White House photo, President Bush at left, Brandon Dutcher center right

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