UPDATE: Oklahoma parents fight back

Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters installed a new social studies curriculum that will require all of the state's public school students to be taught conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and the tenets of Christian nationalism. Walters said the new curriculum will allow "students to think for themselves" and "not be spoon-fed left-wing propaganda."

Now, a group of Oklahoma parents is fighting back.

A group called "We’re Oklahoma Education," or WOKE, is distributing a form letter that allows parents to opt-out of aspects of the new curriculum, including lessons on "discrepancies in 2020 elections results" and "Judeo-Christian concepts of ethics and government as the basis for American civilization." The letter also allows parents to opt their children out of instruction created by right-wing groups, such as PragerU and Hillsdale College. Parents can also request that their child not have "[a]ny interaction with State Superintendent Ryan Walters in any capacity, including viewing any video or audio recording of Mr. Walters."

WOKE Director Erica Watkins says the group created the opt-out form because they consider some lessons in the new curriculum "propaganda" that is not "appropriate to be taught in school."

Ironically, WOKE is taking advantage of a law passed by the Republican-controlled Oklahoma legislature in 2024. The law allows "parents who object to any learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful" to "withdraw their children from the activity or from the class or program in which the material is used." The letter warns schools that if the opt-out requests are "not honored, or if our child experiences discrimination or any mistreatment, we will pursue any and all legal, equitable, and injunctive remedies available to us at law and equity."

WOKE's concerns are echoed by the Oklahoma Council for Social Studies (OCSS), which opposes the new standards: “OCSS cannot fully support the standards in their current form," the group said. "Many of the late additions include historically inaccurate content and do not align with the inclusive, evidence-based approach that is essential to high-quality social studies instruction.”

In response, Walters said that it was "concerning that parents would opt their kids out of understanding American history." Walters also said that the waiver created by WOKE was "absolutely not enforceable" in part because it was created by "a hyper-partisan organization." Walters claimed that a "parent would need to provide his or her own form, or, in some cases, the individual school district might have a form that they use." Nothing in the law prevents parents from using a form created by a third party.

Other parents sue to block new curriculum

Another group of parents, grandparents, and teachers is suing Walters and the Oklahoma Board of Education to invalidate the new social studies curriculum.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Oklahoma court, centers around the approval process. Walters did not send the new standards, which are over 400 pages, to the members of the board until 4 p.m. the day before the board’s 9:30 a.m. meeting. While a previous draft of the standards had been shared with the board, the new version included several revisions by Walters, including the addition of the lesson promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

The email sent the day before the meeting “subtly indicate[d]” that updates had been made, but did “not provide any specifics.” During the meeting, Walters did not mention the specific changes. At the February meeting, Ryan Deatherage, a board member, asked to delay the vote so they had time to read the full standards, but Walters “pressure[d] the board to vote that day, indicating a legislative time crunch,” according to 2 News. In reality, the board had until April to approve the standards.

The plaintiffs, represented by Former Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, argue that the new curriculum is invalid because the "Oklahoma State Department of Education failed to follow its own rules for transparency." They are seeking an injunction to block implementation of the new curriculum while the court considers the case. Walters has responded by filing a motion to dismiss. An Oklahoma court considered both motions at a hearing on Wednesday, but has not issued any decisions.