State Supt. Ryan Walters has long championed more parental choice in Oklahoma schools. Well, he’s finally getting his wish! It turns out many parents are opting their children out of social studies lessons that would teach skepticism about the 2020 presidential election results.
Walters, who slyly snuck “conspiracy theory 101” into the state’s curriculum, has faced pushback from the state Department of Education board and even some legislators. But in true Oklahoma fashion, the Legislature decided not to act and the standards went into effect.
“We want parents to have opt-outs,” Walters said. “We want parents to be able to make those decisions. I think that’s a bad decision on their part.”
Walters’ tenure as state superintendent has done little to improve Oklahoma’s education. His culture war politics have focused mostly on putting Bibles in classrooms and other moves in hopes of getting a shoutout from President Trump.
His policies have been divisive, but the new social studies standards have brought people together — Republicans and Democrats — in opposition. The real question now is whether Oklahomans will opt out of Walters altogether in the 2026 election.
This article appears in deadCenter Film Festival 2025.