Oklahoma’s superintendent of public instruction is ensuring the state’s school curriculum aligns with President Donald Trump’s directive to eliminate “woke ideologies” in education.
“In Oklahoma, we’re following President Trump’s direction to bring truth and reality back into our schools,” Superintendent Ryan Walters stated. “We will teach science accurately, and we will also present American history with patriotism, without any apologies.”
A Republican, Walters has introduced an assessment for teachers arriving in Oklahoma from blue states such as New York and California, requiring them to demonstrate alignment with the state’s political values. The state is also providing teaching bonuses of up to $50,000 to draw educators from around the nation, according to USA Today.
The 50-question test, crafted by the conservative think tank PragerU, will evaluate teachers on subjects like gender ideology, the significance of religious freedom, and their capability to cite the Constitution. Walters emphasized that teachers must score perfectly to qualify for teaching in the state.
“These are not trick questions,” Walters said. “These are very simple questions that educators should be able to answer.”
Opponents of the test, such as Oklahoma Education Association President Cari Elledge, argue it is a “political stunt to gain attention,” warning that introducing politics into teacher screenings may damage morale and deter qualified educators.
Walters noted that teachers can succeed with the signing bonus and even receive a salary hike of up to $100,000 if considered exceptional, yet the state will not tolerate educators “lying to our kids.”
“We will always safeguard what our parents are concerned about, which is the radical, left-wing agenda,” Walters said.
Walters also pushed back on right-wing ideologies being taught in schools and indoctrinating kids, saying he has not seen any examples of that in the education system and that conservatives “want to teach to the standards.”
