February 22, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, February 22, 2020 Opinion Page Simplicity enjoyable in your life. Any item or relationship that is allow an unfruitful relation- ship to continue, and then “ElkCituNews tian author and podcaster Glynda Lomax is a Chris- not serving a really worth- who resides in the Ozark find we must feed and main- while purpose in our lives, tain it. Being with someone enhancing our existence or does not mean you will not Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 Mountains of Northern Ar- moving us toward our life feel lonely. The loneliest kansas with her two very goals is clutter. Simplifying Well, Imagine That — bossy dogs. She wrote her people on the planet are of- our lives opens up more time ten surrounded by a crowd Oklahoma has new branding {first About Life column in and energy for what really 2003 for a newspaper in of people. Dallas. She is planning her has purpose for us. Leonardo da Vinci once By Don Munsch, Editor next book. The piles of shoulds and said “Simplicity is the ulti- Oklahoma rolled out its new state branding last week, maybes that clutter our lives mate sophistication.” Some- Glynda Lomax with a slogan, or tagline, of “Imagine That” and a new logo that features a star wrapped in multiple colors. Simplicity is making the are the evidence of our pro- times we hang on to too Authenticity cannot be acted journey of this life with just crastination and our lack of many possessions because out, it must be achieved from Those five colors are two shades of blue along with green, yellow/brown and rust/brown. baggage enough. — Charles courage to deal with that we feel impoverished from the inside out. It is achieved Dudley Warner which weighs us down. times long ago when we re- by living every moment, The state branding website explained the logo this way: Sometimes we keep clut- ally were. Having a lot of every hour, every day, hon- “The design of our logo is based on shapes and colors embedded in our history. The form is inspired by our native Purse clutter, garage clut- possessions does not mean estly. Being true to yourself. ter because our lives have heritage. It reflects earth, sky, water, agriculture and for- ter, closet clutter, relation- become complicated with you will never do without. We must strive to elimi est. These colors also speak to the seasons. A white star is ship clutter. The places that demands on our time so we Eliminate what is not nate the unnecessary and a powerful symbol of America which is a part of our state should hold essentials and have no time to unclutter working or serving purpose unwanted from our lives and seal and on the original flag ofthe state. Chevrons acknowl- things we need to find quick- other areas of living. Some- in your life. Simplify your edge our military. These elements form a circle and direct our surroundings and spend ly have become full of un- times we subconsciously time by spending it only their energy inward, dramatizing Oklahoma as a hub at the our energies on what matters necessary bits and pieces of create clutter so we can’t see with the people and on the center of America. This symbol invites everyone to join us the chaos of our busy lives, the empty places we carry goals that matter most to most in our lives. When who here in an embracing community, to take in countless unex- a hodgepodge of debris that inside. Just because you you. Spend your energies you see, what you spend pected experiences and explore genuine opportunity.” demobilizes us. Needless can’t see something doesn’t creating and nourishing only your time doing and what State agencies will have one logo now, according to physical and emotional clut- mean it isn’t there. that which is real for you and you own means nothing to various media reports. The logo and slogan will appear ter creates mental clutter. It Perhaps we are confusing you will reach the ultimate you, your heart and your life everywhere now, including signs and state websites. drains our time, our thoughts busyness_ with happiness. fulfillment for your life. become empty and meaning- State officials sought to rebrand Oklahoma and give the and our energy. We look at You can spend all of your Cut and remove every- less. It is time to simplify and state a new identity and help with tourism efforts. The rebranding effort might cause some mixed reviews the mess and yearn to be time around other people thing that is not important to become authentic. Simplic- from the public, with some people liking a new logo and free from it but feel so over- and not have one meaning- you in your life and you will ity and authenticity nourish slogan to go along with a plan to market the state, while whelmed by the enormity of ful relationship in your life. have far more time for what the heart and soul of man. others will simply think money could be spent on some- our situations. Sometimes we schedule is. Pare down until you have thing else. Cluttering your schedule events with acquaintances reached what really is you in “Perfection is achieved, A sstory on readfrontier.org said the state paid more than with people, activities and or stay in relationships so your life in terms of relation- not when you have nothing $259,000 for the rebranding efforts, and the Oklahoma things not meaningful to you we won't feel our aloneness.ships, possessions and how more to add, but when you Tourism and Recreation Department contracted with a Ca- causes you to spend time and Perhaps we are trying to be you spend your time and you have nothing left to take nadian company to assist with the state’s new branding pro- energy that does not produce kind or don’t want to admit will have achieved not only away.” — Antoine De Saint- cess. a return that is fruitful or we made a mistake, so we simplicity, but authenticity. Exupery “They, along with more than 100 creative volunteers from across Oklahoma that branded themselves ‘OklaX,’ created a new tagline and logo for the state,” the story said. To learn more about the rebranding, access https://brand- Stark difference in views of children ing.ok gov/. By Jonathan Small over officials found he has ald Trump’s recent State of for traditional schools to get Today is the 40th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice,” In education debates, no learning disabilities. the Union address. their act together. the day the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the USSR some people see children Similarly, Chaves jumped Trump, by the way, echoed Like the Soviet Union’s team 4-3 in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. whose lives can be immea- three reading grade levels. Stitt and endorsed a fed- The Americans were huge underdogs to the Soviet team, surable improved, while oth- Tax-credit scholarships al- eral version of Oklahoma’s old “five year plans,” the and the American team became legendary overnight ... or ers see children only as tools lowed both boys to attend Equal Opportunity Educa- “turnaround” efforts of many at least the Americans certainly did when they beat Finland to gain political power. This Crossover, tion Scholarship Act in his to secure the gold medal. sad contrast became glar- In touting his support for speech, saying the “next step local districts lead only to Sports fans can remember where they were when they ingly apparent during Gov. raising the cap on the tax- forward in building an inclu- calls for more multi-year heard the news about the U.S.-U.S.S.R. game, because it was not airing live and forced people to watch it on tape Kevin Stitt’s recent State of credit scholarship program, sive society is making sure improvement programs. In delay. the State speech. Stitt called on lawmakers that every young American the meantime, all 13 years Sports Illustrated named “Miracle on Ice” the top sports Stitt urged lawmakers to to “join me and their mom gets a great education and raise the cap on the Oklaho- in applauding” Chaves and of a child’s K-12 experience moment in the 20th century. Hard to find a better game or the opportunity to achieve moment than “Miracle on Ice.” The Americans’ win that ma Equal Opportunity Edu- Sincere’s “hard work this fly by and those youth are February day did so much to help the mood of the country, the American dream. Yet, for cation Scholarship Act in year.” When he did, the of- and nothing else that happened in the sports realm in the order to “provide additional ficial Twitter account of the too long, countless Ameri- robbed of a quality educa- 20th century can compare to it. can children have been tion. incentives for donors, result- Oklahoma Education Asso- That American hockey team showed what competition is ing in more public-school ciation complained that Stitt trapped in failing govern- Even if the OEA doesn’t all about, and the event especially demonstrated what can grants and private-school had “called for a standing ment schools.” happen when players come together to compete and have a understand this, Governor coach — Herb Brooks — who can show them the way. scholarships.” ovation of a family that left Supporting tax-credit Stitt and President Trump In attendance were Alegra public schools for a private.” scholarships and children Williams and her sons, Sin- For the OEA and similar realize we are talking about A word or two about letters to the edit like Sincere does not mean Like other newspapers, The Elk City News publishes cere and Chaves. When Sin- entities, the success of chil- abandoning efforts to im- children’s lives and Okla- letters to the editor. Like other newspapers, The News re- cere attended a local public dren like Chaves and Sin- prove traditional public homa’s future. For both to quires those letters to include the author’s name and town. school, he struggled and of- cere cannot be cheered. They schools. Given that Oklaho- be brighter, Oklahoma law- Anonymous letters will not be published. [For the newspa- ficials told Williams he had view such children’s success ma’s educational outcomes per’s verification purposes, a letter should also include a learning disabilities. But only as a loss of political remain among the nation’s makers must side with Stitt phone number] when a tax-credit scholar- power. The OEA’s action and Trump, not the OEA. The subject is raised because The News received an anon- ymous type-written letter this week. The author scratched ship allowed Sincere to at-was reminiscent of congres- worst, we cannot afford to Jonathan Small serves as out his/her name. tend Crossover Preparatory sional Democrats’ refusal to ignore those schools. But president of the Oklahoma Academy, an all-boys pri- applaud record-low unem- neither can we afford to squander children’s lives by Council of Public Affairs No name? No dice. Simple as that. Topics for a letter should be on matters of public interest, vate school in north Tulsa, ployment for racial minori- and the newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for clar- Sincere jumped two-and-a- ties and blue-collar income telling them to expend their (www.ocpathink.org<http:// ity and length. half reading levels. Cross- gains during President Don- limited school years waiting www.ocpathink.org/>). Measure government success by effectiveness and efficiency, not effort By Mike Davis ods used must also be ap- goals should be eliminated els matter to a certain extent. rate, while a comparable pro- new businesses to open and If Oklahoma wants to be a propriate to the ends sought. or restructured. For instance, Programs can’t exist with- gram would cost only $500 move to Oklahoma? top 10 state, we must clearly Even being the state with in education, there is a mis- out a sufficient budget, but million and be 94% effec- Perhaps the legislature define that goal. We should the healthiest people in the guided focus on per-student money inputs cannot deter- tive, the legislature should should attach measurable measure those things that country would be unattract- funding; what matters is stu- mine whether a program is seriously consider the lat- goals to their bills. This make a state a good place ive if it were accomplished dent outcomes. Performance going in the right direction. ter. Efficiency measures that would help evaluate whether to live. A state might pride through a rigid be-healthy- on national standardized Pouring money into a failing show the cost per unit of the laws are effective. As a itself on being first in the or-be-jailed regime. tests that measure student program without addressing effectiveness are among the bonus, it would create trans- nation in hummingbirds per Oklahoma should strive knowledge would show how the structural problems is best tools for legislatures to parency as to the true intent capita, but who cares? It is to maximize economic op- effective our schools are. like pouring water into a full evaluate whether to create or of the bill. also important to focus on portunity, create a neutral Government should mea- glass: it’s nothing but waste. continue a program. Mike things government can actu- playing ground that does not sure its effectiveness, not Better to divert it elsewhere, Instead of inputs alone, policymakers should focus Davis<htps://1889institute. ally control. The Yosemite favor entrenched interests, its effort. Any time anyone or save it. That is not to say that cost on the outcomes of their pro- org/michael-davis-4> is a and the Grand Canyon make and spend efficiently for es- touts or laments the total their home states attractive, sential services. Every pro- money allocated to a pro- is not an important part of grams. How much do stu- Research Fellow at 1889 but the governments of those gram should have a clearly gram, it is a red flag that they measuring success. If one dents know when they leave Institute. He can be reached states have nothing to do defined outcome, and pro- are focusing too much on ef- program costs $12 billion, our schools? Is the tax cli- at mdavis@ 1889institute. with the appeal. The meth- grams that fail to meet their fort. Of course. funding lev- and has a 95% effectiveness mate one that will encourage org.