Journalistic News Stories and Scripts
A collection of news stories and scripts for broadcast or online publications
Final News Story Over the Proposal to Require Bible Study in Oklahoma Classrooms
Oklahoma State Superintendent Proposes New Plan That Would Require Bible Study in the Classrooms
By: Kaiden Littlejohn
The Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Oklahoma has recently proposed a new Idea to implement into schools. The proposal would put Christian Bibles into every high school classroom in the state which many believe is more harmful than helpful.
Superintendent Ryan Walters first proposed this idea in June of 2024. He has since supported the proposal with his own words.
“The Bible is indispensable in understanding the development of Western civilization and American history,” Walters said, “To ensure our students are equipped to understand and contextualize our nation, its culture, and its founding, every student in Oklahoma will be taught the Bible in its historical, cultural, and literary context. As we implement these standards, our schools will maintain open communication with parents to make sure they are fully informed and full partners in their kids’ education.”
Although it may be true that the Bible was critical in the development of Western civilization and society, there are no laws or guidelines that would deem this reasoning acceptable under the constitution.
High School teacher at Stilwell High School in Oklahoma Tiara Fourkiller commented on Walters' reasons behind the proposal.
“I think it is foundational to teach the big three religions. I have taught social studies, and we already teach the big three including the Bible as a core document to Christianity. We just do not teach scripture, and this is a big difference,” Fourkiller said.
This is where it is critical to understand what can and cannot be taught as part of “Bible lessons.”
According to public court documents, In October of 2024 thirty Oklahomans including parents, teachers, students, and even faith leaders filed a lawsuit against Walters and all other members of the board of education in an attempt to halt the Bible study mandate in Oklahoma schools. The lawsuit will also try to stop Walters from spending $3 million of the state's money on buying the Bibles for every school in the state. The group of thirty Oklahomans are seeking the supreme court's help in recognizing that the new bill is unlawful, and should be rescinded so no law is passed and no money is spent on Bibles.
Other Oklahomans that this law would affect have been able to convey their thoughts on the impacts and legality of this proposal. Kindergarten Teacher at Westville Public Schools in Westville Oklahoma, Carla Swank was able to comment on the proposal and its possible effects at her school.
“First off, I didn’t really see a need for it because it has always been okay to have the Bible in the classroom. I have “In God We Trust” and the Ten Commandments on the wall in my classroom, so it was okay to study the Bible as a student and have that choice, but I really didn’t see a need for it to be mandated,” Swank Said. “My community is mostly Christian but everyone I know feels the same as I do. A lot of teachers here at Westville are Sunday school teachers for different churches, so we understand that there's a time and place for religious practice, but in an atmosphere like a school where not all kids are of the same religion and cultural groups, I don’t see that time being here.”
Swank was very adamant that this could cause more problems than already needed for teachers as well. She explained that not every teacher is christian, so giving them the Bible and telling them to go teach is like giving a history teacher a book on Molecular Biology and telling them to go teach kids about Biology. There are many moving variables in terms of how things change with this law implemented, many of which could cause more harm than good across the state.
Other Oklahoma educators such as Middle School Teacher at Stilwell Public Schools Hannah Caton expressed her concerns for this law.
“As a teacher, I don’t really see how I can do it all. I have previously taught a 3rd and 4th grade Sunday school class at my church, and I enjoyed that, but trying to incorporate those lessons into my language arts lessons would be difficult. I don’t even know how I would approach differences in theology,” Caton said.
When asked if she believed this proposal was unconstitutional, she stated “As a christian I don’t know if it is unconstitutional, but I will say that I wouldn’t want my daughter to be forced into a new environment that encourages a religion we don’t believe in. When I put myself in the shoes of parents who aren’t Christians, I can definitely see that side,” Caton explained.
It is evident that teachers are reluctant to implement this law, but it is not their fault. Legal issues regarding religion in schools are not uncommon in the U.S. and many have even been taken to the supreme court.
There have been cases dealing with religious practice in school that correlate with Walters mandated Bible proposal. One of these cases of religious practices in school was Engel v Vitale. According to public records of the case, In 1962, nondenominational prayers at school were ruled to directly violate the establishment clause of the first amendment. The establishment clause states that the government is prohibited from establishing an official religion as well as committing actions that lead to favoring one religion over another. Although students were given the option to be absent from the prayer the court, It was not constitutional as the main purpose of the clause is to prevent the government from interfering with religion. A case like this in 1962 is very applicable to the ideas surrounding mandated Bible lessons today. It is very interesting that nondenominational prayers in school are deemed as a violation of the establishment clause, when Walters' proposal can be seen as a much more extreme form of favoring one religion.
Superintendent of Tahlequah Sequoyah High School Terry Heustis stated his discomfort for the proposal.
“I’m in charge of a mostly Native American school, and some students still favor their Native heritage and do not recognize Christianity. I believe this law would put them at a heavy disadvantage and is also dangerous to the culture of native groups.”
Oklahomans are hesitant for this bill to be passed as it could change many of their everyday lives. Whether Christian or Non-Christian, a lot of teachers feel this could cause more harm in schools than help. While it is still a popular subject Walters has declined to comment on the progress of the plan.
Sources
Public Documents-
Microsoft Word - OkBiblePetFin
Facts and Case Summary - Engel v. Vitale | United States Courts
People-
Carla Swank- 918-507-0797
Hannah Caton- Hannakindle@gmail.com
Tiara Fourkiller- Tfourkiller@stilwellk12.org
Terry Heustis- 918-930-0218
Informational Script for a Video to Train New Employees at a Livestock Feed Store.
L & S Feed & Supply Final Script 10/16/2024
Music: Slow Country strum of a guitar.
Fade in:
Int. Graphic: L&S Feed & Supply store logo with location will be the first thing on the screen.
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN (VO)
Welcome to the pride of Westville Oklahoma, my name is Blake Littlejohn, and I hope you are ready to become the newest member of our feed mill team.
Int. Shots of the front of the store, storeroom, front desk, and back of the building For Todd VO.
TODD SNYDER(VO)
In 1996 when me and my cousin Blake created L & S Feed & Supply and started with only two feed bins and two semi-trucks. It looked a lot different than it does now and you will be thankful for that. There are a lot of different jobs you must learn to do as an employee here. Whether it be operating a forklift (of course with a helmet on every time you get on one), bagging feed, mixing feed, loading and unloading semi-trucks, or occasionally desk work, there's no shortage of work to be done. We are going to discuss how you can be successful in each of these positions including the do’s and do not.
Int. shots of Blake in the feed bagging room standing in front of the sacker.
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN ON CAMERA
Now let's get started on what is expected of you once you come into work every day. This is the main room of the operation. As you can see, we have our mixer operator Freddie Turner back there making us a new batch of 12% pig feed. We call it 12% because that's how much protein was mixed into the feed. Anyways, Freddie will be with you all day so get used to him. And if you ever break something, or something goes wrong with equipment, don’t try to be a hero. Ask for help, Freddie, Todd and I will more than likely know what to do better than you.
Int. Blake and Todd Walk up to the bagging machine and conveyor belt
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN ON CAMERA
This is what we call our sacking machine. Before you even think about touching it you will always need to wear leather work gloves and safety glasses. Don’t want a finger to get caught in the sewer or get hit in the eye with a stray piece of corn. But once you’re safe, the feed will come through this bin and will come out of this chute once you pull the lever. Now always make sure you have a bag covering the chute so there's no mess or waste of feed. Each bag should be fifty pounds; you can check with the scale here. Now mess ups do happen and if you accidentally pull the lever too quick, 50 pounds of feed will end up on the floor for you to clean up! So, try to wait until the bags are full before you take the sack off of the sacker.
TODD SNYDER ON CAMERA
Once you get it weighed, you will have a partner on the sewing machine to make sure it is sealed. Now just stack it on the pallet and get ready for the next one. This station is pretty easy but it’s very important to take it seriously as it can be dangerous.
Int. Shot of an empty front office, then Blake walks into the camera from the side view.
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN ON CAMERA
Next, we are going to talk about customer service and how to handle certain situations. Earl Hall and Freddie Turner will walk you through what to do.
Int. Freddie Turner in a shot of his control room for the mixer
FREDDIE TURNER ON CAMERA
I make about 13 tons of feed per day, so I stay pretty busy over here. Which means if we run out of a certain feed it will take me a little bit to catch up, so I'm going to tell you what to do when a customer asks for something we are out of.
Int. Wide Shot of stacked feed and Freddie on the forklift in the storeroom, Hayden Murray Walks into Frame to ask Freddie a question. (Scene takes place in storeroom as customers usually ask the workers in the feed room to load their feed, and while they do that, they go inside to the front office to pay).
HAYDEN MURRAY ON CAMERA (customer)
Hello, I want to get four hundred pounds of horse feed please and put it in the back of the truck if you don’t mind.
FREDDIE TURNER ON CAMERA
I only have a hundred pounds of horse feed made up right now so We can sell you that or here in a little bit when I finish the mix I have now, I’ll start a new horse mix.
HAYDEN MURRAY ON CAMERA
Man, I really need it as soon as possible. Can I pay for the four hundred pounds, take what you got and come back later for the rest?
FREDDIE TURNER ON CAMERA
Yes sir we can do that, if you leave a number, I can call you when I get it made.
Int. Shot of Freddies Control Board in his Control Room, Freddie walks into frame, begins to speak and walk with the camera, after speaking he stops and then Blake walks into frame and Joins Freddie, after then Todd.
FREDDIE TURNER ON CAMERA
It’s always important to be understanding, and helpful when a customer needs something we don’t have. Give them options to find a solution so they feel their needs are met.
Int. Blake Littlejohn and Todd Snyder in the front office
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN ON CAMERA
Hopefully we’ve learned a lot so far about how to be successful as an employee here. The last piece of our training that is crucial to the business is how we get started in the morning, as well as how we close up.
TODD SNYDER ON CAMERA
Getting here is the most important part of this job. We open at 7:30 but starting at 7:15 gives plenty of time to prepare the store for opening. So, when you get here at 7:15 make sure all of the shop doors are open so we can travel through the different feed rooms. Next you will take the forklift and bring the Purina cubes, pig feed, and L&S special to the front of the store as those are our highest sellers.
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN ON CAMERA
It is also important to check the board in the front office to see what orders we have to fill for the day. But transitioning to closing time, just reverse everything you did to open. Take the three pallets of feed out front back to the storeroom, close all the doors, and turn the molasses pump off. It sounds simple but you would be surprised how often these jobs are forgotten during the day.
Int. Dissolve into shot of Blake, Todd, Hayden, and Freddie in the main feed room next to the sacker.
BLAKE LITTLEJOHN ON CAMERA
Thank you for watching and listening.
TODD SNYDER ON CAMERA
Hopefully you learned a thing or two about L&S and what the job requires. We create a fun environment. All you have to do is show up and work hard.
FREDDIE TURNER ON CAMERA
We can’t wait to get you started and join the L&S team. See ya on Monday!
Int. Full Screen Graphic of L&S Store Logo adding city, state, phone number, and website.
News Story on Westville Public Schools and their push for a new Gymnasium.
Also features a sidebar story to contribute to the history of the current gymnasium.
A Historical High School Gymnasium Has Struggled to apply Upgrades
By: Kaiden Littlejohn
A jet hangar once used in World War II has since served as a home gymnasium to Westville Public Schools in Northeast Oklahoma. However, the community is split in their regards for change.
Westville Public Schools is located in Westville Oklahoma as a part of Adair County. The town has a very low population compared to most other areas. So, there has never been an abundance of wealth to go around due to lacking economical resources. The town only has one grocery market, one school, and although there are communal gathering areas, it is not a popular spot to citizens. This results in constantly having outdated buildings and falling behind in key renovations.
The best example of this is the gym that was used around 80 years ago as a jet Hangar in World War II. In 1955, around a decade after the war ended, the Hanger was hauled to Westville to serve as the schools brand new gymnasium. However, since its former glory days members of the community, as well as a member of the school board have expressed the need to better parts of the town before it’s too late.
Josh Barton is serving his fourth year of his second term as a member of the school board for the Westville School District and has had both of his children graduate from there.
“I am not sure what the student count was in 1955, but currently we have stayed between 1000-1100 students for the last 15 years. Our gym will hold about 540 people, but with the current setup of the gym, we do not have any room to expand,” said Barton.
One of the main reasons the current gym is seen as outdated is due to its size, or rather the lack thereof. Barton mentioned capacity as a problem for the gym because the school has missed out on a lot of opportunities to host tournaments, round robins, and other events. These are big money making events that go a long way for schools who are able to host them. Westville has yet to obtain this privilege and is one of the many reasons people involved in the school have been longing for a new gym.
However, after asking Barton what he and the school board have tried to do to get one built, it became easier to understand why it has been difficult to resolve this problem.
In order to get a new gym built, a bond has to be proposed and then voted on by the community. Barton elaborated on the steps needed to propose a bond.
“Oklahoma Law will only allow schools to build by passing bonds, which ultimately raises property taxes on the school district’s residents,” said Barton.
He mentioned how the beginning stages will always be about finding out the needs of the school. They do this by surveying every member of the school including students, faculty, and representatives.
Bartons was able to elaborate on what goes into a new bond proposal. First, discussions with all administrators and the school board will take place on said needs and they will decide what course to take. Members of the school board would then talk to the architect to start drawing up the plan.
“Once the plans have been finalized, the school board would vote on said proposal and once passed, we would take the proposal to the community. At this point, this is where we have made mistakes. Part of the community will vote Yes for any proposal, and part will vote No regardless of the needs of the district,.” said Barton.
So there are a lot of things Barton has to take into consideration when coming up with the proposal, and once that is completed and distributed, a lot of the community does not take the time to learn more about it before voting no. He cited this as a major problem as he feels much of the community are against the bonds because of a lack of involvement during the proposal and feedback period of the proposal.
“Community involvement needs to be before the board votes on the bond proposal. Our problem is the only community members that will show up prior, are the ones that want new buildings for the school. The opposition will not get involved until the time to vote nears. The million dollar question is how do you get people involved when they do not want improvements?” Said Barton.
Some proposed ideas like community meetings, social media campaigns, and even in depth breakdowns of the entire proposed bond being distributed to those who asked for them are not spreading as much knowledge on the subject as he had hoped.
The needs for a new gym seem apparent, so why does over half of the community feel it is not necessary?
The most common answer is the opposition of taxes being raised by those who own property in the area. However, Barton believes the tax increase is very worth it and noticed other schools building new facilities with higher proposed increases in tax.
“Depending on the percentage increase, the last bond for our school was 12%, the amount you pay now will be increased by that percentage. If you take a 12% increase, you will pay $120 more per every $1000 in taxes. Some of our surrounding states fund the building of new school buildings differently,” said Barton.
He even uses an example of a school very close to Westville who has had better luck getting facilities built.
“For instance, Lincoln, Arkansas, about 15 miles from Westville, built a new high school with a new gymnasium and football/track field for $19 million. The residents of Lincoln school district only had to pay for $5 million. Arkansas laws only make the residents pay roughly 20% of the bond needed,” said Barton.
“So, the main reason, I believe, is the ones with the larger farms, which is who pays the most amount of property tax, do not want an increase in their taxes,” said Barton.
He also goes on to explain how he understands the farmers point of view, but there are plenty of residents paying rent for their living situation who still refuse to vote yes. Paying rent without owning the property means the increase in property tax does not affect them as much as it would farmers who own large plots of land.
This has been a hot topic among the community for the past few years. Everytime a bond has been proposed it has sparked countless social media debates, arguments, and even public shouting matches. So, being a sensitive subject it is sometimes hard to have productive meetings to discuss the exact pro’s and con’s of the vote. This is why community involvement from the beginning can help spread more awareness on why a new gym is a necessity rather than a luxury.
Sidebar:
Recent success from the Westville Men's Basketball team has been a massive factor in the quest for a new gym. In 2021 the Westville Yellowjackets made the state tournament for the first time since 1938. 17 years before the current gym was put in! This kind of achievement caused days of celebration in the community.
Athletics coach at Westville Public Schools Brendal Rector commented on the importance of the team's success to the community.
“People here love sports, they love their kids, they love winning. So when something like that happens for the first time in forever it just creates a very proud moment for everyone and can let everyone collectively experience it together,” said Rector.
In this historic run the Jackets played Cinderella after enduring a 7-9 regular season record. However, the record was not a good representation of the team because multiple players missed many games due to Covid-19.
When the time came for the district playoffs, they finally got healthy and got hot.
After winning districts and then the regional round, the Jackets knocked off the numbers two, five, and seven in the state to clinch a spot in the state tournament. Although they would lose in the first round, it is still a moment etched into that community's history.
Sources:
Josh Barton- School Board member: 918-930-0217
Brendal Rector- Athletics coach: 918-574-1700