(The Lion) — The Sooner State is compiling a new test aimed at keeping “woke” teachers from Democrat states out of its public schools.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters is poised to reveal the test this month, which will be for teachers who move to Oklahoma from blue states such as New York and California.
Walters told Fox News teachers from both red and blue states have moved there after the state offered “the largest signing bonuses for teachers in the country,” with up to $50,000 for teachers ranked in the top 10% nationwide.
But a high ranking doesn’t mean they’re immune from leftist views.
“If you are a teacher coming to Oklahoma from woke states, you will NOT be indoctrinating our kids with a liberal agenda,” Walters posted on X. “Oklahoma welcomes you, but first … tell me the difference between a boy and a girl.”
The “America First” test is being developed in conjunction with PragerU. It will assess knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, “understanding of American exceptionalism” and “grasp of fundamental biological differences between boys and girls.”
The state Education Department wants teachers to advance its goal of providing an education “rooted in truth, patriotism and core values,” along with “pride” in America, according to a release about the test.
Walters unveiled new history standards earlier this year that require students to “examine issues related to the election of 2020 and its outcome,” including analyzing discrepancies from graphs and charts and the security risks of mail-in ballots.
The curriculum also highlights the Bible’s influence on the Founding Fathers as well as various stories from Scripture, which has prompted a lawsuit to block the standards because they allegedly promote Christianity.
An unabashed Christian, Walters has raised private money to place Bibles in public-school classrooms. He’s fighting in court to spend state dollars on Bibles and character education.
Although the state has yet to designate exactly which states are considered blue and therefore eligible for the test, Walters is resolute in its purpose, and his convictions.
“We’re sending a clear message: Oklahoma’s schools will not be a haven for woke agendas,” he said. “If you want to teach here, you’d better know the Constitution, respect what makes America great, and understand basic biology.
“We’re raising a generation of patriots, not activists, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep leftist propaganda out of our classrooms.”