The one state pushing harder than any other to reverse "leftwing ideology", however loosely this is commonly defined as. This is, in some respects, "blowback", but in other respects, this is next level indoctrination, where America's past is whitewashed, or not even taught, in the classroom.
The test’s 50 questions will cover topics about U.S. government, religion and gender, according to examples shared by the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R). Teachers unions have criticized the move as a political stunt that will discourage applicants as Oklahoma faces a teacher shortage.
Walters announced plans to administer the test at a state education board meeting in July in which he said California and New York — the nation’s two largest blue states — have teaching standards considered “antithetical” to Oklahoma’s. Prager University, a nonprofit that produces educational materials emphasizing patriotic and conservative views, developed the exam.
“We’re not bringing in woke indoctrinators into the classroom,” Walters told The Washington Post on Monday, adding, “It’s a very America-first approach.”
Walters has courted controversy for previous efforts to shape Oklahoma’s schools, including distributing Bibles in classrooms and backing a proposal to teach high-schoolers that there were “discrepancies” in the 2020 election. He supported the unsuccessful effort to create the nation’s first public religious charter school in Oklahoma that culminated in a deadlocked Supreme Court ruling in May.
Walters told the education board that its members will not have a chance to review the test for teacher candidates before it is implemented. Chris Van Denhende, a board member, asked Walters in July to ensure the policy “passes legal muster.”
“It sounds like we’re on the edge,” Van Denhende said.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education shared five sample questions from the multiple-choice test Monday, covering topics such as the Constitution and the makeup of Congress. Oklahoma already requires new teachers to take a U.S. citizenship test, which covers civics topics, to complete their certification. Walters said the test for California and New York teachers would also focus on “the biological differences between the two genders.”
WaPo
The test’s 50 questions will cover topics about U.S. government, religion and gender, according to examples shared by the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R). Teachers unions have criticized the move as a political stunt that will discourage applicants as Oklahoma faces a teacher shortage.
Walters announced plans to administer the test at a state education board meeting in July in which he said California and New York — the nation’s two largest blue states — have teaching standards considered “antithetical” to Oklahoma’s. Prager University, a nonprofit that produces educational materials emphasizing patriotic and conservative views, developed the exam.
“We’re not bringing in woke indoctrinators into the classroom,” Walters told The Washington Post on Monday, adding, “It’s a very America-first approach.”
Walters has courted controversy for previous efforts to shape Oklahoma’s schools, including distributing Bibles in classrooms and backing a proposal to teach high-schoolers that there were “discrepancies” in the 2020 election. He supported the unsuccessful effort to create the nation’s first public religious charter school in Oklahoma that culminated in a deadlocked Supreme Court ruling in May.
Walters told the education board that its members will not have a chance to review the test for teacher candidates before it is implemented. Chris Van Denhende, a board member, asked Walters in July to ensure the policy “passes legal muster.”
“It sounds like we’re on the edge,” Van Denhende said.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education shared five sample questions from the multiple-choice test Monday, covering topics such as the Constitution and the makeup of Congress. Oklahoma already requires new teachers to take a U.S. citizenship test, which covers civics topics, to complete their certification. Walters said the test for California and New York teachers would also focus on “the biological differences between the two genders.”
WaPo
