As Walters confers with Republicans, Oklahoma Democrats seek to block new social studies standards

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma House and Senate Democrats on Monday filed resolutions to reject a controversial proposal of new academic standards for social studies education in public schools.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ administration developed the standards, which dictate what public schools must teach in social studies classes, along with committees of Oklahoma teachers and a group of national right-wing media personalities and policy advocates. The proposed standards would require education on the Bible, Jesus and alleged “discrepancies” in the 2020 presidential election.

Rejecting the proposed standards in full would send them back to the Oklahoma State Board of Education, which approved them on Feb. 27, for revisions. The Republican supermajority in the House and Senate would have to agree to the denial.

Leaders of the minority party said the process that produced the new standards was riddled with political interference.

Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, said lawmakers and the state Board of Education should take a slow, methodical approach “where everyone has their questions answered and parents feel comfortable” with the results.

“We need to slow down and take time and get this right,” Provenzano said.

One newly appointed state Board of Education member, Ryan Deatherage, said during the board’s Feb. 27 meeting that he didn’t have enough time to read through the standards before voting on them.

It later came to light that the Oklahoma State Department of Education made changes to the proposed standards without revealing them publicly, including the addition of language questioning the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Walters responded to the Democrats on Monday by accusing them of promoting “radical gender ideologies and anti-American agendas” instead of supporting “the core truths of America’s history and values.”

“We’re not surprised that Democrats are relentlessly undermining our children’s education,” he said in a statement.

The state Legislature has 30 legislative days after the state board submits the academic standards to approve, amend or reject them, according to Oklahoma law.

Legislative staff determined the 30-day deadline is May 1, said Jennifer Monies, a spokesperson for the House Speaker’s Office.

If lawmakers take no action by the deadline, the proposed standards would take effect as written, according to state law. If the Legislature rejects the standards, then Oklahoma’s current standards, which were established in 2019, would remain in place until the new version is approved.

Republican leaders in both chambers have yet to take a stance on Walters’ proposal.

Walters met with House Republicans in a caucus meeting Monday, the Speakers’ Office confirmed.

House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, said last week he invited Walters to the closed-door meeting to discuss the social studies standards. Hilbert said House Republicans then would deliberate as a caucus and with the Senate on what action, if any, is necessary.

The state reviews and enacts new academic standards for school subjects every six years. Hilbert said the state Legislature has never changed or rejected academic standards before.

“Before making the decision, I think it’s appropriate for the state superintendent to have a chance to make his pitch to our caucus,” Hilbert said.

Oklahoma Voice (oklahomavoice.com) is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations. Oklahoma Voice provides nonpartisan reporting, and retains full editorial independence.