Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Sam Sixkiller, Cherokee Deputy US Marshal, Oklahoma territory

Samuel Sixkiller, born in 1842 in the Cherokee Nation, which is now Adair County in Oklahoma, was the first Captain of the United States Indian Police in Muskogee.  He supported the Confederacy in the Civil War and became a private in the 1st Cherokee Cavalry.  At 19, he switched sides and fought for the Union with his father, 1st Lt. Red Bird Sixkiller.

In 1875, he was appointed to High Sheriff of the Cherokee Nation and Warden of the National Penitentiary.  The position gave him authority of the Cherokee Nation and he became a Deputy US Marshall.  In 1880, he became the first Captain of the United States Indian Police in Muskogee.  

In 1886, he was murdered by two men on Christmas Eve.  In March 1887, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill that made assault against an Indian policeman a federal offense. 

More Oklahoma schools closing, eliminating teachers, because the House cannot pass a budget

Once again, our fearless leaders in the Oklahoma House of Representatives rejects a revenue package that “would have injected $342 million into next year’s budget”.  The package would have given Oklahoma teachers a whopping $1000/year raise.  It would hardly make a difference to teachers but it is better than nothing.  However, since the package failed, teachers will get nothing.

Now, school districts across the state are forced to make more major cuts to their budgets.  Enid school board has slashed next year’s budget by $1.8M.  Tulsa plans to close three schools to cut $12M, by consolidating five schools and eliminating 37 teachers.  Woodward and Muskogee are eliminating summer school and reducing staff to save $1M.  Fort Gibson is delaying hiring due to a $400K reduction in their budget.

House Bill 2414 includes a provision for gross production tax on oil and gas wells, but it only applies to new wells and will not affect next year’s budget.  Other proposed tax hikes were on cigarettes and gasoline, putting the onus on Oklahoma citizens to fix the budget.

Nothing is changing.  Legislators are still more concerned about oil and gas, and not education and students.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-school-districts-move-on-cuts-without-clear-budget-picture/article/5549452

http://newsok.com/facing-massive-budget-cuts-oklahoma-house-rejects-revenue-package/article/5549409?homePageWidget=1