COMMENTARY
Epic fail
(Mike Allen)

Well, we have some more epic news this week (the lowercase use of the word counts double here, see), and I’m a little … confused.

After an audit of their finances from the last five years by State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, it appears Epic Charter Schools may owe the state of Oklahoma $8.9 million. How they came to that conclusion is what I’m confused about. Reading over the investigative process, it seems there exists a spider web of businesses and boards that allocate and spend taxpayer dollars given to Epic them by the state, and many of the exact details have been kept away from the public and the investigators themselves at this time. Specifically, the private Epic Youth Services company that managers substantial taxpayer money has not had to show state investigators its equations, so to speak.

Keeping all of this straight in my head has been difficult, to say the least. Another confusing point to me is how Epic’s response was to accuse the investigation of being “political theatrics.” Again, I’m no expert, so perhaps there is something to that. But it seems a bit odd to argue that a pro-school-choice governor like Kevin Stitt would go after a pro-school-choice organization for political reasons. In any case, this ongoing story may have a few chapters left to be told. It could be … epic, or at least an epic fail.

Past Sundaze comics

Rough Saturday for Sooners fans
Budget blockbusters from the Cox Convention Center?
College football fun dampened by COVID-19 risks
It wasn’t Neese: An allegory for owning your audio
You’re doing fine in the red zone, Oklahoma
Snail mail: Slugging it out at the U.S. Postal Service
Norman elections always cause a flood of headlines
School 2020: Arts and crafts more like arts and masks
Ready for basketball from the Disney bubble
Kevin Stitt quarantine: Rest up, governor
PPP helps keep the proverbial pizza cooking
Imagine masks: Stitt starts fashion fad to emphasize eyebrows
Mike Gundy has shirt problems
Coronavirus spike: There’s still a pandemic out there
Safety and cleanliness are priorities for Election Day
Remember to put yourself in someone else’s shoes
Them boys from Oklahoma roll their joints all wrong
Pour yourself an age and wisdom on the rocks
All the government Oklahoma could ever want
Open sesame: Kevin Stitt and the 40 mayors
Parents agree: The Easter bunny is an essential worker
Bad news for Cheetos: Our behaviors are changing
Quarantine quandary: Are your pets sick of you yet?
Quarantine: A rear window into our worried minds

  • Mike Allen

    Mike Allen is a graphic designer, painter, printer and tailor. He has a fine art degree from the University of Oklahoma.

  • Mike Allen

    Mike Allen is a graphic designer, painter, printer and tailor. He has a fine art degree from the University of Oklahoma.