Oklahoma’s social studies education will be reformed with the help of conservative influencers

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

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

The decision comes after Walters stated that parts of the Bible should be taught in schools, emphasizing in the memo that they will be used as an instructional resource.

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

It also includes Dennis Prager, who founded PragerU, an educational group focused on teaching conservative principles. The conservative platform reached several states, with videos such as “Was the Civil War because of slavery?” and “The Inconvenient Truth About the Democratic Party.”

“I am very excited to have recruited some of the brightest minds available to serve on our Executive Review Committee. His unparalleled experience will help create 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 committed to updating our academic standards.”

The committee members were criticized by Oklahoma House Democrats as “extremists”.

“Your Executive Review Committee is comprised of extremist Republicans who seek to deprive Oklahomans of their right to freedom of religion and a full public education,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story