Oklahoma Weeds Out Extremist Teachers With “America-First” Test

Certain teachers fleeing far-left states such as New York and California — bastions of woke indoctrination masquerading as “public education” — may not be welcome in Oklahoma classrooms. Under a new policy rolling out this month, left-wing extremists who hate America and want to weaponize children at taxpayer expense need not apply.

Critics are fuming. But supporters say it is an important step as government schools — especially in liberal states — push increasingly dangerous and unhinged ideologies. Many “education” systems teach young children they may have been born in the wrong body, for example, and that surgical mutilation of genitals could be the solution.

In what is being hailed as a bold move to protect children from such brainwashing, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters introduced an America‑First certification exam. The test, aimed at teachers fleeing left‑wing strongholds, seeks to ensure that teachers are comfortable with the deep red state’s values.

“We will not allow these leftists’ plans and schemes to take place here in Oklahoma,” Walters explained. “They are trying to warp the minds of our kids to turn them into social justice warriors, instead of kids that are getting the most of their God-given talents to go get a good job, to go live a fulfilling life.”

The reason New York and California teachers are facing special scrutiny is that they are “teaching things that are antithetical to our standards,” Superintendent Walters told USA Today in an interview. The goal, he continued, is to ensure that teachers coming from those states “are not coming into our classrooms and indoctrinating kids.” 

“A lot of the credit goes to [California Governor] Gavin Newsom,” Walters said, pointing to the state’s bizarre lessons on “gender theory,” LGBTism, and more. “One of the things that we wanted to do is, first of all, make sure that they’re great teachers, right? And No. 2, make sure we’re not getting these woke, indoctrinating social justice warriors in the classroom.”

Speaking to this writer for a Liberty Pastors session with pastors late last year, Walters said having the Bible and America’s founding documents in schools was critical to having a real education. He also warned that federal intrusion into state and local education systems had been a disaster that needed to be rolled back.  

Defending Oklahoma’s standards that require true American history and civics as well as Bible lessons, Walters has been one of the most vocal education officials to push back on wokeness. With teachers fleeing from Big Government states that require teaching absurdities such as “27 genders,” Walters said the gains needed to be protected.    

“These reforms will reset our classrooms back to educating our children without liberal indoctrination,” he wrote earlier this year on social media in defense of the state’s revised standards. “We’re proud to defend these standards, and we will continue to stand up for honest, pro-America education in every classroom.”

The Oklahoma Department of Education will administer the test that will determine whether teachers can be certified in the state. It was rolled out in recent days, specifically targeting the Empire State and the Golden State. However, authorities have warned that teachers coming from other far-left states could soon be forced to take it as well. 

The 50‑question test was developed in partnership with the conservative nonprofit PragerU, which already has materials being used in at least ten Republican states so far. It reads like a curriculum of common‑sense patriotism and basic civics, rather than the far‑left script that so thoroughly dominates “education” in leftist jurisdictions.

Among other key topics, it covers foundational issues such as the U.S. Constitution, religion, and yes — even biological gender differences. It is framed through the lens of a worldview rooted in traditional American values. To pass, incoming teachers from leftist states will need to get all the questions right. Bonuses of up to $50,000 are waiting.

PragerU explained why it was needed. “We fully understand why superintendents of education, like Ryan Walters, feel compelled to protect their students from the extreme left-wing ideologies being promoted in schools through teachers who often do not even realize the damage caused,” a spokesman for the organization said.

Examples of the questions on the “America First” test include:

• What are the first three words of the Constitution? A. In God We Trust B. Life, Liberty, Happiness C. The United States D. We the People
• Why is freedom of religion important to America’s identity? A. It makes Christianity the national religion B. It bans all forms of public worship C. It limits religious teaching in public life D. It protects religious choice from government control
• What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? A. House of Lords and Commons B. Courts and Senate C. Executive and Legislative D. Senate and House of Representatives
• How many U.S. Senators are there? A. 435 B. 110 C. 50 D. 100
• Why do some states have more Representatives than others? A. They cover a larger geographic area. B. They have held statehood for a longer period. C. The number is determined by military presence. D. Representation is determined by population size.

Naturally, opponents and the teachers’ unions were in an uproar about it. The far-left Oklahoma Education Association slammed the initiative as a “political stunt to grab attention.” The far-left American Federation of Teachers, meanwhile, claimed that such “vilifying” of teachers would exacerbate the state’s supposed teacher shortage.

The mostly impotent Democrats — every county in the state voted for Trump, and most of the Democrats in power there disguise themselves as Republicans — are also fuming. Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman John Waldron, a former social studies teacher, claimed that people who hate America are not teaching in Oklahoma classrooms.

“You don’t sign up to teach schools because you hate America, that’s not who’s teaching in our classrooms,” argued Waldron, apparently oblivious to the extreme left-wing views and radicalism so prevalent in teaching. Blasting the new assessment as a “loyalty test” from “an unaccredited agency,” Waldron said it was “an insult to our profession.”

Not everyone in Oklahoma’s education apparatus is on board, either. Some members of the State Board of Education questioned whether Walters overstepped his authority by implementing the test without them. They claim there are legal and procedural concerns surrounding the new tests. Walters pushed back, saying he welcomed legal challenges.

With the Left showing its true colors and coming unglued over President Trump’s reforms, experts say conservative states that value patriotism and truth may follow Oklahoma’s lead. Subjecting out-of-state hires to ideology vetting to protect children from dangerous extremism is becoming increasingly appealing as the public wakes up.

Not that long ago, it was illegal for communists to teach in many states, as Americans understood the powerful influence that teachers can have on future voters, leaders, and citizens. Unfortunately, communists today not only teach communism as truth, but also gender-bending extremism and all manner of lunacy.

These dangerous narratives and ideologies being forced on children in government schools are a mortal threat not just to the children, but to their families, communities, churches, and the Republic itself. Teachers who joined the profession to indoctrinate America’s future with such absurdities must be identified and removed from their positions.  

Considering the subversive origins of government control over education and the problems with government programs generally, efforts at reforming “public education” are doomed to failure. Still, it is encouraging to see Oklahoma and other GOP-led states take the lead on protecting the children trapped in the system. Other states should follow suit.

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