Educators from states such as New York and California looking to teach in Oklahoma will now need to pass a test to ensure they’re not aligned with what the state’s officials consider “woke ideologies.” This was announced by Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s director of public leadership, on Friday.
New teachers will have to complete a multiple-choice quiz that covers topics like “the biological differences between men and women,” alongside questions focused on Christian and American history.
“In Oklahoma, our students are grounded,” Walters stated, quite assertively.
He criticized states like New York and California for what he describes as extreme views on gender theory and alleged “Marxist indoctrination,” claiming these perspectives corrupt young minds. He insists that teachers need to agree on fundamental truths, emphasizing that they shouldn’t be pushing radical ideas in classrooms.
The quiz, developed by the conservative organization PragerU, consists of 50 questions that prospective teachers must answer correctly to earn an education license. Some sample questions include identifying the chromosomal pairs that determine biological sex and naming the first three words of the Constitution.
Other questions probe the fundamentals of U.S. governance, such as the number of U.S. Senators and the reasons behind the varying number of representatives in different states.
Walters expressed a desire to instill a patriotic understanding of American history in students, asserting that it’s important to convey the significant role Christianity played in shaping it. He firmly stated, “You’re not going to lie to your children about history.” He aims for an honest representation of historical influences.
Oklahoma has recently seen an influx of around 500 new teachers attracted by a bonus program designed to recruit “top quality” educators. However, Walters remains cautionary, stating that any theories contravening biology and science are unacceptable.
While initial reports indicated that only new teachers from New York and California would need to take the quiz, it’s noted that newcomers from several other states may eventually be subject to the same requirement.
As for how many teachers are migrating to Oklahoma from the coasts, the exact figure is unclear, but an aide mentioned a “substantially large” number of applicants is interested in obtaining teaching licenses. Walters, who has faced criticism for his outspoken conservative views and policies, previously pushed for the inclusion of Bible teachings in schools, labeling it an important historical document.
