Lawsuit Targets Oklahoma Social Studies Standards Process

A lawsuit has been filed against Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education, challenging the legality of the recently adopted social studies standards for public schools. Led by former Attorney General Mike Hunter on behalf of parents, grandparents, and teachers, the plaintiffs allege the board violated its own procedures and failed to provide due process, as required by the Oklahoma Administrative Procedures Act. The lawsuit focuses on irregularities in the approval process, such as discrepancies between the publicly available draft and the final version, rather than the content of the standards. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have voiced concerns: Republicans emphasize the procedural issues, while Democrats also criticize aspects of the content, including passages related to the 2020 election. The plaintiffs seek a temporary restraining order to halt implementation of the standards while the case is reviewed, aiming for judicial oversight rather than financial damages. Superintendent Walters has defended the standards' quality, but critics argue proper transparency and legislative oversight were lacking.