Oklahoma to introduce ideology test to stop ‘woke’ teachers

Oklahoma state superintendent Ryan Walters has announced plans to create an ideological purity test to identify so-called “woke” teachers.

The 40-year-old state official announced plans to create an assessment for teachers “relocating from states with progressive education policies” to determine how “woke” they are.

Working in partnership with right-wing lobby group and media brand, PragerU, the Oklahoma State Department of Education claimed in a Tuesday (22 July) news release that the assessment would allow state curriculum to remain “rooted in truth, patriotism, and core values.”

The test will reportedly evaluate educators on three main subjects: knowledge of the US Constitution, “understanding of American exceptionalism,” and the “fundamental biological differences between boys and girls.”

Commenting on the plans, Walters said: “We’re sending a clear message: Oklahoma’s schools will not be a haven for woke agendas pushed in places like California and New York.

“If you want to teach here, you’d better know the Constitution, respect what makes America great, and understand basic biology,” he continued. “We’re raising a generation of patriots, not activists, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep leftist propaganda out of our classrooms.”

PragerU is primarily known for creating bite-sized online videos promoting right-wing beliefs and, in many cases, anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theories, including claims that popular AI-model ChatGPT is secretly turning kids transgender.

Marissa Streit, PragerU’s CEO, said the organisation is working to “stop extreme leftist ideologues from harming children and ensure teachers champion America’s greatness and future potential.”

Ryan Walters condemned over anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric following Nex Benedict death

In 2024, Ryan Walters was heavily condemned for his response to the death of non-binary Oklahoma student Nex Benedict.

16-year-old Benedict, whose friends say was Two Spirit and was a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, died in February 2024, a day after telling family members he had been in a physical altercation in the toilets of Owasso High School. An autopsy report published in March said they died by suicide.

In an open letter, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) called for a federal investigation into the teenager’s death, urging the government to address the state department’s refusal to deal with “anti-LGBTQ+ hatred and violence.”

Walters was branded a “bigot” and a “bully” by parents in Benedict’s school district. One parent, Audra Beasley, accused Walters of “intentionally” denying her child support after she was forced to change her son, who uses a wheelchair, on the floor of a toilet.

Walters claimed at the time that “radical leftists” were exploiting Benedict’s death for “political gain” while exclaiming: “There’s not multiple genders. There’s two. That’s how God created us.”