Latest news with #OklahomaStateBoardofEducation
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Oklahoma committee begins search for textbook adhering to controversial social studies standards
Nuria Martinez-Keel Oklahoma Voice OKLAHOMA CITY — An ousted member of the state's top school board will lead the process to approve K-12 textbooks that align with controversial new academic standards for social studies. Former Oklahoma State Board of Education member Kendra Wesson will continue as the chair of a key committee that chooses all state-approved textbooks for public schools. She has been State Superintendent Ryan Walters' designee to lead the committee since she joined the state Board of Education in January 2023. 'Serving in this role and being able to still help my state is what it's all about, right?' Wesson said. 'It's not about (having my) name in lights. It's about doing the serving and coming in and being who I am and consistently being who I am. So, I value it very much.' Wesson, of Norman, said she brings high integrity to the role and has enjoyed the committee and its staff, so 'it meant a lot to me to be able to stay here.' Walters said he has full confidence in her ability to lead the textbook adoption process. 'Kendra is pro-student, pro-education reform and a pro-Trump conservative who will uphold pro-American principles throughout this process,' Walters said in a statement. 'I look forward to working with her as we are posed to introduce the best academic standards in the country to Oklahoma classrooms this fall.' Gov. Kevin Stitt replaced three state Board of Education members, including Wesson, on Feb. 11 while complaining the board had fallen victim to 'needless political drama.' The three removed members had voted with Walters to advance a now-defeated proposal to have public schools collect students' immigration status, an idea Stitt opposed. What Oklahoma's textbook committee will do during the adoption cycle Wesson and the State Textbook Committee gathered Friday, June 7, for an orientation meeting to initiate the 2025-26 adoption cycle, a process that determines which textbooks the state will approve for the next six years. The committee last met Feb. 7 to conclude the 2024-25 cycle. Like with the state Board of Education, the governor appoints all members of the 13-member textbook committee except for one — the state superintendent, who can choose a designee to serve as the committee's chair in his place. The committee, mostly made up of educators, will receive sample products by July 1 from textbook publishers interested in selling to Oklahoma school districts. The number of companies bidding in the small-market state has dwindled in recent years while political debates over classroom content grew. After the July 1 deadline, teams of subject-matter experts will begin quality reviews of the submitted learning material in August before making recommendations to the textbook committee, said Carolynn Bristow, project manager of educational materials for the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The process culminates in the committee's Nov. 14 vote to approve a list of textbooks aligning with the newly enacted standards for social studies education. The committee also will vote on instructional materials for personal financial literacy courses. The state will execute contracts with publishers in February after the board's final meeting of the adoption cycle. Wesson said the committee will follow the typical textbook adoption process and doesn't anticipate any differences from previous cycles. The committee and its review teams will adhere to a pre-approved rubric to evaluate textbook materials, she said. The rubric checks for classroom usability and compliance with state academic standards. Last year, the committee also added social and moral questions to the rubric asking whether the submitted materials 'degrade traditional roles of men and women,' promote 'illegal lifestyles' or neglect the importance of religion in preserving American liberties. 'We have a great team here at (the state Education Department) that keeps us on track, and that's why that rubric is there, to keep everybody on the same page,' Wesson said. 'And so you will always find this committee, especially, following that process.' Oklahoma's new social studies standards cast doubt on 2020 election results, require biblical teaching The new social studies standards, which dictate what public schools must teach to students in history and government classes, have been the source of significant public scrutiny this year. The standards now require schools to educate students about biblical teachings and Judeo-Christian values that influenced the American colonies and founding fathers, which Walters has said is crucial to ensuring students understand the full context of the country's history. Language casting doubt on the integrity of the 2020 presidential election results also is required teaching. Stitt's three new appointees to the state Board of Education said they were unaware of the 2020 election language at the time they voted on the standards on Feb. 27. Walters said he is responsible for adding the new content, but he didn't acknowledge it until weeks after the board vote. Despite bipartisan concerns among the state Legislature, the Republican supermajority in the state House and Senate permitted the standards to take effect. A lawsuit in Oklahoma County District Court contends Walters' administration failed to uphold proper transparency procedures. Wesson said the State Textbook Committee won't have any issues finding textbooks that align with the new social studies standards, even with the new content that has made headlines. 'We're not going to have a problem there at all,' she said. Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions:info@ Follow Oklahoma Voice onFacebook andTwitter.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Public school parent-led group provides social studies curriculum opt-out form
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma public school parent-led group is providing easy access to forms that other parents can fill out with the intent of opting their children out of new controversial social studies standards curriculum. News 4 has covered the revised standards extensively, which were given the go-ahead by the Oklahoma State Board of Education in February, with a majority vote. The standards feature an increased use of the Bible in the classroom, and also tell students to examine 'discrepancies in the 2020 election,' which has seen a mix of praise and criticism. Some lawmakers questioned the contents of the social studies standards. They have said the proposed curriculum was factually inaccurate on several topics, including the 2020 election and the COVID pandemic. Legislators have also said the standards contain subjects that were not age-appropriate for each grade level. Legislative leaders allowed the standards to take effect regardless of those complaints. Lawmakers will not consider resolution to stop proposed controversial social studies standards 'It leaves a lot of room for teaching what a person's personal beliefs are for the teachers versus actual fact-based curriculum,' said Saralynn Boren, with 'We're Oklahoma Education.' Boren describes the group as being primarily led by Oklahoma parents, but says it has educators, grandparents, and other public education stakeholders involved across Oklahoma as well. She described the group as non-partisan, and said they come together from both sides of the aisle to advocate for inclusive public education. Boren said the group first started creating opt-out letters to address content from conservative media group, PragerU. The letters have now been modified to address the new social studies standards. 'They're pushing ideologies that all parents aren't going to agree with, all students aren't going to agree with. And that's what we want to give parents the option to opt out of,' said Boren. State Superintendent Ryan Walters addressed efforts to opt out of the standards during a May 22 news conference, calling the effort 'concerning' when it comes to teaching students American History. 'What we're trying to do is give your kid an understanding of history in America, where America came from, what beliefs influenced those individuals so that then they can understand American history,' said Walters. Boren pointed out that Oklahoma already allows parents, by law, the opportunity to opt out of instruction that may violate their moral or religious beliefs. 'It's something that the conservatives pushed for saying this parent bill of rights, that parents should have the right to have a say in their students education, and it's the same for all parents,' said Boren. Walters said Tuesday that while the effort was something he wished parents wouldn't do, he would continue to protect their ability to do what they thought was best for their kids. 'If he wants to talk about championing parents' rights, that he needs to understand that there are other parents that don't always agree with his right-wing ideologies,' said Boren. It's an effort that may or may not prove to be necessary, with an Oklahoma County District judge set to consider Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. whether to grant an injunction on the social studies standards, which could block them entirely or allow them to move forward. News 4 reached out to an OSDE spokesperson Tuesday for clarification on whether the opt-out forms are enforceable, but didn't hear back. The forms can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Senate confirms Gov. Kevin Stitt's four new state Board of Education nominees
The Oklahoma State Board of Education officially has four new members handpicked by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt as he overhauled the board. The Senate confirmed Stitt's nominations of Michael Tinney, Chris Van Denhende, Ryan Deatherage and Becky Carson to the board without debate on Tuesday, May 27. The board governs the Oklahoma State Department of Education and sets policies for K-12 public schools. While Carson was confirmed to the board by a 47-0 vote, the other three nominees all received some pushback from the far-right wing of the Senate's Republican caucus. Tinney, from Norman, was confirmed by a 36-11 vote. Van Denhende, from Tulsa, advanced on a 32-15 vote, and Deatherage, from Kingfisher, by a 33-15 vote. The education board is chaired by Republican state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, but the governor has the power to appoint its six other members. Stitt shook up the board's membership in February, saying it was due to 'ongoing controversy' at the Oklahoma State Department of Education and disappointing standardized test scores. The move also came as Stitt and Walters were increasingly at odds over a wide range of policies, including Walters' proposal to require schools to not just ask for the immigration status of students, but also of their parents. Stitt named Tinney, Deatherage and Van Denhende to the board on Feb. 11 to replace three sitting members. He named a fourth new member, Carson, from Edmond, to fill an open seat on April 28. Walters, who sets the board's agenda, had received no pushback from the board on multiple controversial decisions during his first two years in office, such as issuing a statewide Bible-teaching mandate. That's changed since Stitt appointed Tinney, Deatherage and Van Denhende to the board. During three meetings, the three men have challenged Walters on multiple occasions. Tinney's nomination drew additional interest when the senator from his home district, Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, declined to carry his nomination, citing her friendship with the board member Tinney replaced, Kendra Wesson. In similar situations, the Senate president pro tempore can carry a nomination, which that title holder, Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, initially declined to do before reversing course before Tinney's confirmation hearing in the Senate Education Committee. Standridge was among the group of senators voting against Tinney's nomination. Van Denhende's confirmation hearing included fiery statements from Paxton, Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, and Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, the committee's chair, who all decried an email campaign aimed at derailing the nomination. The emails sent to Republican members of the committee compared Van Denhende to the former leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, and included personal attacks against Van Denhende and his family. Senators also criticized an anonymous conservative blog post opposing the nomination. Other nominations approved without opposition by the Senate included: • Dennis Casey of Morrison to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Casey, a former lawmaker, district superintendent and championship-winning football coach, has spent the past five years on the board that governs Oklahoma's 25 public colleges and universities and currently serves as its chair. He'll now serve a full nine-year term. • Tracy Poole of Tulsa to the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, which governs Oklahoma State University along with Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami and Connors State College in Warner. Poole, a venture capitalist, will serve an eight-year term. Poole is the founder and managing partner of FortySix Venture Capital in Tulsa. • G. Rainey Williams of Oklahoma City to the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents. Williams will serve a seven-year term. He is president of Oklahoma City-based Marco Capital Group, an investment partnership, and serves as chair of the University Hospitals Authority and Trust and the chair of OU Health. The OU board oversees OU campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa as well as Rogers State University in Claremore and Cameron University in Lawton. • Connie Reilly of Okemah to the Regional University System of Oklahoma board. The vote extended Reilly's tenure on the board, which governs six universities: the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford and East Central University in Ada. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Senate confirms four nominees to state Board of Education
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Senate approves governor's new education board members
Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, left, sits next to Oklahoma State Board of Education member Mike Tinney, right, before supporting Tinney's confirmation during a Senate Education Committee meeting May 20, 2025, at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday confirmed Gov. Kevin Stitt's four new appointees to the State Board of Education along with picks for several other state leadership posts. With no discussion, senators approved the appointments of Mike Tinney, of Norman, Christopher K. Van Denhende, of Tulsa, Ryan A. Deatherage, of Kingfisher, and Becky Y. Carson, of Edmond, to serve on the state board tasked with governing the state's public school system. Gov. Kevin Stitt in February removed three prior members from the board and criticized them for creating 'needless political drama' following their vote requiring schools to collect students' immigration status. Stitt then named Deatherage, Tinney and Van Denhende to fill the vacancies, saying the board needed fresh eyes. State Superintendent Ryan Walters accused Stitt of firing the three former board members for political purposes. The three booted members had voted in line with Walters since he took office in January 2023. They approved Walters' budget requests, which included $3 million to spend on Bibles, along with controversial new rules that would require the student citizenship checks and require teachers to pass a naturalization test in order to be licensed. During the session, the Republican-controlled Legislature rejected all three proposals. In April, Stitt appointed Carson, a retired educator, to fill a seat representing Congressional District 5 that has been vacant for two years. Walters and six members appointed by the governor make up the board. During the committee vetting process, some Republican senators objected to Stitt's decision to overhaul the board's membership. Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, carried Tinney's nomination after his hometown senator, Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, declined to do so. Standridge told some media outlets she was friends with Kendra Wesson, who served on the board before being booted. In other business, the Senate confirmed John Budd of Oklahoma City to serve as the Department of Commerce CEO. Richard L. Rose of Oklahoma City was confirmed as Office of Management and Enterprise Services director. Jeffrey Cartmell of Edmond was approved to serve as Department of Human Services director. Timothy N. Tardibono of Oklahoma City was confirmed as Office of Juvenile Affairs executive director. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Despite social studies standards controversy, OSBE meeting a stark contrast to past tense months
Tensions rose for a second time — albeit mildly — over the official record of an Oklahoma State Board of Education vote to approve controversial social studies standards. But after that back-and-forth on Wednesday, May 21, four new board members and Republican state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters appeared to be trying their hardest to be respectful toward each other during the board's monthly meeting. It was a stark contrast to the board's most recent meeting in April, when allegations of deceit on the part of Walters and lying by the board members about how the standards were passed set the tone for the meeting. The standards, which require high school students to learn about debunked claims of voting irregularities in the 2020 presidential election, have pushed Oklahoma into the national spotlight. The board voted to send the standards to the Legislature in February, and the standards eventually took affect after lawmakers opted not to do anything to change them. The circumstances surrounding how the standards were passed have turned the board's meeting minutes into a subject of controversy. Minutes are usually a routine item on most board agendas. Three new board members appointed by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt – Chris Van Denhende, Ryan Deatherage and Michael Tinney – sparred with Walters during the February meeting when the board considered the standards. Eventually, they were approved after Walters falsely told board members they had to approved that day for the agency to meet legislative deadlines. But Deatherage was shown in the meeting minutes as having made a motion to approve the standards, when he was the lone vote against them. A motion by Deatherage to table the standards, and a subsequent vote, weren't reflected in the minutes. The new board members raised the issue in April and voted to table the minutes, pending changes. Deatherage noted Wednesday the copy of the February board meeting minutes included in his informational packet – which is provided to board members – didn't reflect the changes. The board's executive secretary, Amy London, said that she was trying to save paper and thus didn't update the packets with the new version of the minutes, but that the new minutes could be found online. Ultimately, the board voted 5-1 – with Walters in opposition – to again table approval of the February meeting minutes. 'It's all about the process,' Tinney said in making his motion to table. After that, though, the new board members – including Becky Carson, named last month to the board – and Walters interacted mostly without conflict. Carson, a former teacher from Edmond, spoke about her concern of the number of Oklahoma teachers who are receiving emergency certifications, noting the high total – more than 4,000 during the 2024-25 school year – shocked her. She noted that number represented about 10% of teachers in the state. She called emergency certifications 'a necessary evil at this point,' given Oklahoma's shortage of traditionally certified teachers. Deatherage, who also serves as Kingfisher County's 911 director, spoke about mobile alert panic systems for Oklahoma schools and voted to approve a motion concerning them, after leading a motion last month to table a vote on the same agenda item. The board quickly approved a request for Mannford Public Schools to not have to meet the 165-day instructional minimum for the 2024-25 school year, citing wildfires that ravaged that Creek County community in March. After an executive session that lasted almost two hours, as the board prepared to vote on an action regarding the teacher's license of former Ringling High School football coach Phil Koons, a man in the audience in the tiny board meeting room stood up and said he was an attorney representing Koons, demanding to speak, saying he had spoken with the agency's attorneys about doing so. Walters said he was OK with allowing the man – who never identified himself and whose identity wasn't known by the board's attorney, Chad Kutmas – to speak. The man said Koons wasn't given notice either of Wednesday's planned board action, or of an administrative hearing in his case. Multiple other people who have had licenses revoked during Walters' tenure as superintendent also have complained about receiving no notice from the board, which is required. The subject of allowing due process to educators whose licenses might be suspended or revoked came up during a Senate confirmation hearing for Tinney on Tuesday. Ultimately, the board tabled action regarding Koons' license until its June meeting, and the man quickly exited the room. Board member Zachary Archer of Hammon did not attend the meeting. In 2025, he has attended only one board meeting, in February. He previously missed meetings in January and April. The March board meeting was canceled on the morning the meeting had been scheduled, with Walters citing a concern over a possible violation of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act because the deadline to post the agenda online had been missed by 20 minutes. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ryan Walters, OSBE members still disagree on social studies standards
