Teachers from California and New York will soon have to pass a new test to prove they share the conservative values of Oklahoma’s public schools.
Applicants must agree with Oklahoma’s American history standards and show that they understand “the biological differences between females and males,” regardless of subject or grade level. These criteria include the assertion that Democrats defrauded Donald Trump of the 2020 election, which fact-checkers have largely refuted.
PragerU, a nonprofit organization renowned for creating conservative educational materials, will administer the test. According to Ryan Walters, the public school superintendent for Oklahoma, the measure will shield classrooms from “radical leftist ideology.”
Walters declared, “Oklahoma classrooms will be protected as long as I am superintendent.” The new test, known as a “America First certification,” will guarantee that new teachers uphold Oklahoma values, he continued, adding that schools in California and New York spread ideas “antithetical to our standards.”
Five sample questions from the 50-question test were made public by the state. One of them asked for the first three words of the U.S. Constitution, while another asked about the significance of religious freedom to the American identity. The full test will launch “very soon,” according to Walters.
The American Federation of Teachers is among those who oppose the mandate, claiming it is detrimental and needless. It is “a MAGA loyalty test,” according to union president Randi Weingarten, and will deter more educators from relocating to Oklahoma, which is already experiencing a teacher shortage.
To entice out-of-state teachers, Oklahoma is providing bonuses of up to $50,000 in spite of opposition. According to Walters, this has already caused a spike in interest in moving to the state.
Proponents believe that the reforms will restore “honest, pro-America education.” Critics caution that it might exacerbate the teacher crisis Oklahoma is attempting to resolve and widen political rifts.
