Radio Atlantic An American Education | 2. Testing Teachers for 'Wokeness'
Sep 25, 2025
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, shares his controversial approach to education, including a new ideological 'purity test' for teachers. He criticizes the inclusion of perceived left-wing materials in schools, claiming it hinders education. Walters also defends the emphasis on teaching American exceptionalism and navigating recent political tensions. Two Oklahoma teachers, facing censorship and personal dilemmas, offer contrasting perspectives on adapting to the new standards and the emotional toll it takes on their careers.
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Curriculum As Civic Preservation
- Ryan Walters frames curriculum changes as restoring basics and American values rather than promoting a partisan agenda.
- He presents standards additions as civic preservation and necessary to 'keep the republic.'
Purity Test As Gatekeeping
- Walters describes the teacher 'purity test' as a gatekeeping tool to prevent 'left-wing activists' from teaching in Oklahoma.
- He ties compliance to teaching state standards on gender and biology as nonnegotiable requirements.
Universal Values, Narrow Definition
- Walters insists his policies welcome all parents while simultaneously defining a specific set of 'values' educators must advance.
- That framing treats a particular political-cultural view as the universal consensus for schooling.
