The Morning Brew: Ken Ham speaks at UCO; Teacher walkout talk heats up
Ham spoke to a mostly friendly audience
Creationist Ken Ham spoke at the University of Central Oklahoma Monday after a kerfuffle about an earlier scheduled performance stirred controversy.
EDMOND — Answers in Genesis founder Ken Ham found little resistance to his views on creationism Monday, less than a month after an invitation to speak at the University of Central Oklahoma was pulled because of his controversial views.
Ham, chief executive officer of the Christian creation apologetics organization, spoke as part of a two-day forum titled "The Freedom of Expression: Teaching and Learning in Our Time."
About 500 filled Constitution Hall in the Nigh University Center for Ham's presentation of "Genesis and the State of Culture," an examination of the ideas of Charles Darwin. Georgia Purdom, Ph.D., from Ham's organization, followed him to the podium to discuss science and genetics.
Others without tickets viewed the presentation on monitors in a nearby overflow room.
Cresha Redus of Oklahoma City and her husband were among those who came to see Ham.
A supporter, she expected more opposition to the speaker.
Strike talk heats up
After 30 years of teaching, Bonnie Green would like to be able to retire.
Instead, she said she's looking for a second job just to make ends meet.
Green, a teacher at Heronville Elementary School, was among more than a dozen teachers who gathered Monday afternoon at Southern Oaks Library in south Oklahoma City to discuss their frustrations and options moving forward, including a possible teacher strike or walkout in protest of low teacher salaries and inadequate school funding.
Matt Patterson has been with The Oklahoman since 2006. Prior to joining the news staff in 2010, Patterson worked in The Oklahoman's sports department for five years. He previously worked at The Lawton Constitution and The Edmond Sun.... Read more ›