Oklahoma social studies education to be reformed with help of conservative influencers

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Tuesday a committee with conservative activists tasked with rewriting the social studies standards in his state.  

“The new approach to social studies standards will ensure the social studies standards are chronologically sound, reinforced, and reiterated through a student’s primary and secondary education, will empower schools to teach from primary sources, and will inspire in students a love of country and a proper understanding of the American founding. It will also eliminate DEI, indoctrination, and return teaching back to the basics in Oklahoma,” Walters said in the letter.  

The decision comes after Walters said parts of the Bible must be taught in schools, emphasizing in the memo it will be used as an instructional resource. 

The committee includes conservative activists, such as Kevin Roberts, head of the Heritage Foundation, which led Project 2025, a conservative roadmap for a potential second Trump term.

It also includes Dennis Prager, who founded PragerU, an education group focused on teaching conservative principles. The conservative platform has been made its way into multiple states, with videos such as “Was the Civil War About Slavery?” and “The Inconvenient Truth About the Democratic Party."

“I am very excited to have enlisted some of the brightest minds available to serve on our Executive Review Committee. Their unparalleled expertise will help craft new academic standards that will serve as a model for the nation and help Oklahoma students for years to come,” Walters said.

“More than 75 Oklahomans, the vast majority of whom are public school teachers, are engaged in updating our academic standards.” 

The members of the committee were blasted by Oklahoma House Democrats as "extremists."

"His Executive Review Committee is made up of extremists Republicans who are seeking to strip Oklahomans of their right to freedom of religion and a well-rounded, public education," said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson.