A behind-the-scenes look at how eligibility decisions are made in Oklahoma high school sports — and why one attorney says the system needs reform.

Oklahoma Memo founder and curator Ryan Welton sits down with Hannah Whitten to break down a recent case involving student transfers, shifting rules, and missed playing time. The conversation expands into bigger questions about due process, fairness, and access for student athletes across the state.

• A real case involving student athletes transferring schools in rural Oklahoma
• How Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association rules were applied — and then changed
• Why some students lost practices and games
• Concerns about due process in OSSAA hearings
• The role of evidence (and what happens when it’s not considered)
• Why this issue goes beyond sports (music, debate, activities)
• The financial reality: who can move districts — and who can’t
• What reform could look like
• Advice for parents navigating eligibility issues

• Eligibility rulings can have real consequences — including lost opportunities and exposure
• OSSAA decisions aren’t always handled with the same structure as courts
• Families with more resources often have more flexibility
• Advocacy matters — parents who push the system tend to get better outcomes
• There is growing pressure for reform, but change hasn’t fully materialized

Ryan Welton is joined by Grant Hermes for a wide-ranging conversation on the week’s biggest political developments.

They discuss Kevin Hern’s Senate bid and why it could trigger major consequences not just in Oklahoma, but in the U.S. House. They also look at Gov. Kevin Stitt’s possible ambitions, the uncertainty around Markwayne Mullin’s future, and the larger political calculations underway.

The second half of the conversation turns to the Senate’s role in confirming cabinet officials, how that process really works, and why the escalating Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruption could send shockwaves through oil markets and beyond.

Topics include:

1. Kevin Hern’s path to the U.S. Senate
2. What Gov. Kevin Stitt may be thinking politically
3. Why Markwayne Mullin’s future matters
4. How cabinet confirmations actually work
5. Trump, donor access and power politics
6. Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and the oil shock threat
7. What this all could mean for Oklahoma

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A heartbreaking tragedy is now driving a push for legislative change in Oklahoma.

In this episode of the Oklahoma Memo Podcast, Ryan Welton speaks with Jacob Towe, whose young son Leo died from fentanyl poisoning.

After learning the true cause of Leo’s death, Towe began pushing for a new law that would require the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to test parents for fentanyl before reunifying children with them.

The proposed legislation, known as “Leo’s Law,” would simply add fentanyl to the panel of drugs already tested during child welfare investigations.

Towe shares:

• The story of his son Leo

• How he discovered fentanyl poisoning caused Leo’s death

• Why he believes the tragedy could have been prevented

• The grassroots effort to pass Leo’s Law

• Why other states — and Congress — are watching Oklahoma

Towe says if the law saves even one child, the effort will be worth it.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Leo’s Law Facebook group

• Families Supporting Families in Oklahoma