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Oklahoma, the state ranked last in U.S. education, will now require teachers from Democratic-led states to pass an "America First" certification before being allowed to teach in its classrooms, per NewsOne.
The "America First" certification, announced by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters, is aimed at blocking what he calls “radical leftist ideology” from entering Oklahoma schools.
“As long as I am superintendent, Oklahoma classrooms will be safeguarded from the radical leftist ideology fostered in places like California and New York,” Walters said in a statement.
The exam, which was developed with conservative media outlet PragerU, includes basic civics questions as well as ideological statements that teachers must agree with, including the rejection of gender identity education and support for a version of American history that omits topics like systemic racism or the murder of George Floyd. The curriculum also pushes debunked claims about the 2020 election.
“These reforms will reset our classrooms back to educating our children without liberal indoctrination,” Walters posted on X.
Teachers from Democratic-led states, including California and New York, will have to pass the exam to receive their "America First" certification, allowing them to teach in Oklahoma classrooms.
Critics slammed the certification as politically motivated.
“Ryan Walters appears to be trying out for MAGA in chief, not educator in chief,” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a statement. “This MAGA loyalty test will be yet another turnoff for teachers in a state already struggling with a huge shortage.”
Rep. John Waldron, a Democrat and former teacher, added: “If you want to see a textbook definition of indoctrination, how about a loyalty test for teachers?”
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