After state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters slipped in new social studies standards that raise doubts about the 2020 presidential election, some lawmakers said it was a move too far. Even the governor criticized Waters for trying to teach kids that Trump beat Biden.
But despite that criticism, the state Senate declined to take up a resolution to remove the new standards. The leader of the Senate said his caucus just didn’t seem interested in the issue.
Walters declared it a “major victory for Oklahoma families and for the truth,” conveniently forgetting that “truth” used to require, you know, facts. He also proudly announced the Bible’s new status as a “foundational text,” presumably to help students understand why sudden ballot-counting halts are divinely inspired.
While students will now be required to identify discrepancies in the 2020 election, it might be worth adding a lesson on identifying ways the Oklahoma Legislature fails to do its job. Other lessons worth considering should also include identifying discrepancies in the Oklahoma state Department of Education budget and the large salary payouts Walters has made to his buddies.
This article appears in Summer Guide 2025.