The new standards for social studies balloons mentions of Christian themes from two to more than 50. Walters has also previously called the standards “pro-American exceptionalism.”
Walters announced in July he was tapping conservative figures to head the executive review committee for the standards, which included Dennis Prager of PragerU; Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation; and David Barton of the Christian Nationalist organization, Wallbuilders.
Controversy over the standards ramped up in September, when Oklahoma City television news outlet Fox25 was denied entry to a review committee meeting. Members told a reporter the set of standards they had worked on for months was thrown out and replaced with a new set with content that made one committee member say they wanted to “throw up.”
The presentation of the standards at Thursday’s meeting was void of any mention of the controversy surrounding the development process.
Three new interim board members joined the meeting Thursday. The new members were appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt, who cited the board’s “needless political drama” and objected to the board’s passage of a proposed administrative rule requiring schools to count immigrant students and families. The new members replace the three former members who had voted to pass the administrative rules.
The rules are now being considered by the legislature.
New board member Ryan Deatherage requested extra time to review the proposed social studies standards but was voted down. He was the lone dissenting vote in approving the standards. The standards now go to the legislature for approval.
Earlier this week, Walters requested an opinion from Attorney General Gentner Drummond on whether a Trump executive order would pull federal funding from undocumented students. If the rule were to apply, it would appear to require schools to collect citizenship documentation.
During Walters’ opening comments at the board meeting addressing that request, new member Chris Vandenhende asked for a pause on the related administrative rule the board approved last month. Vandenhende was denied because the discussion wasn’t on the agenda.
Later in the meeting during “New Business,” Deatherage requested to alter the process for agenda-writing so board members — and not just the superintendent — could add items to the agenda.
He cited a recent article from The Oklahoman that reported an instance in which board member Nick Archer asked for a report to be presented at an April 2024 meeting detailing the state department’s slew of employment vacancies. The item was not placed on the April agenda.
For the agenda policy to change, it would have to be done through an administrative rule. But, to start that process, an item would have to be added to the agenda.
New member Mike Tinney grilled legal counsel about how the board can add items to the agenda. Vandenhende agreed.
“Part of the board’s responsibility is oversight of the Department of Education,” Vandenhende said. “If we don’t have the ability to add items to the agenda that we think are important to that oversight responsibility, we cannot perform that function.”
Vandenhende asked which statute or rule gives Walters the final say on the agenda. The board counsel answered there were statutes that said that but did not provide specifics.
“Why am I here?” Deatherage asked.
The board counsel then shut down the conversation, saying it was beyond what could be talked about in “New Business.”
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