Oklahoma public schools will require teachers from California and New York to pass a test proving they share the state’s conservative values.
Regardless of the subject or grade level they teach, teachers will be required to demonstrate knowledge of “the biological differences between females and males” and confirm agreement with Oklahoma’s American history standards, which include claims that the Democratic Party stole the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump, despite fact-checkers labeling this info as false.
According to Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s public schools superintendent, the test will be administered by PragerU – a non-profit organisation known for creating conservative content.
“As long as I am superintendent, Oklahoma classrooms will be safeguarded from the radical leftist ideology fostered in places like California and New York,” he said in a statement.
Further, Walters said California and New York are “teaching things that are antithetical to our standards,” so they need to make sure newcomers “are not coming into our classrooms and indoctrinating kids.”
Walters referred to the new mandate as an “America First” certification, in reference to one of Trump’s political slogans.
“These reforms will reset our classrooms back to educating our children without liberal indoctrination,” Walters wrote on X.
“We’re proud to defend these standards, and we will continue to stand up for honest, pro-America education in every classroom.”
According to the CBS News, Quinton Hitchcock, a spokesperson for the state’s education department, said the Prager test for teacher applicants has been finalized and will be rolling out “very soon.” The state released the first five question of the 50-question test to The Associated Press. Some of the questions asks applicants to list the first three words of the US Constitution and to explain why freedom of religion is ‘important to America’s identity.’
The American Federation of Teachers, one of the country’s largest teachers unions, has opposed to Trump’s views in the past. Commenting in the test, President Randi Weingarten said, “This MAGA loyalty test will be yet another turnoff for teachers in a state already struggling with a huge shortage.”
According to USA Today, Oklahoma is offering teaching bonuses that go up to $50,000 to attract teachers from across the nation. Citing Walters, the publication writes that this resulted in “a dramatic increase in teachers wanting to come to Oklahoma,” a state that just like most other states, faces teachers shortage.
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