Oklahoma Plans Ideology Test for Teachers from California, New York

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters has announced a new requirement for public school teachers coming from California and New York to pass a political test designed to root out what he calls "radical leftist ideology" before receiving certification. The test, developed in collaboration with PragerU, a conservative media organization, includes around 50 questions covering American history, civics, constitutional principles, and issues related to gender ideology. Walters defends the measure as a means to protect Oklahoma classrooms from what he describes as "woke, Marxist" agendas prevalent in blue states like California and New York. Critics, including State Representative John Waldron and the American Federation of Teachers, argue that the test infringes on teachers' rights and amounts to a "MAGA loyalty test" that unfairly targets educators from out-of-state. The controversy highlights broader cultural and political conflicts over education content and teacher qualifications, amid Oklahoma's efforts to address teacher shortages by recruiting from other states. The initiative has sparked debate about ideological discrimination in schools and the impact of politically motivated certification requirements.