OKLAHOMA CITY — The clock is ticking for the Oklahoma legislature to sign off on new, controversial Social Studies standards — approved in February by State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the State Board of Education.
Even though the standards are already in the hands of the legislature for potential approval, during the April monthly meeting, several board members said they approved the standards without full transparency.
They accused Walters of secretly changing the standards and not notifying them.
Walters is not denying that he altered the Social Studies standards to include students learn of potential discrepancies in the 2020 presidential election.
“Absolutely, there were changes made after public comment,” said Walters.
However, he is unwilling to acknowledge what board members want – that he failed to point out those changes or give them ample time to read the updated standards for themselves and find the changes.
Before the monthly meeting began, Walters’ staff handed out a copy of an email:
It shows that the board got the updated standards at 4:01 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon for a Thursday a.m. vote at the February meeting. The document is roughly 400 pages.
“There are no differences between what you were emailed and what was sent to the legislature,” said Walters.
“I’m not a speed reader,” said Ryan Deatherage, a board member.
2 News attended the February meeting in question. Walters did pressure the board to vote that day, indicating a legislative time crunch.
“That was a mislead,” said Deatherage. “I feel deceived on that because here we are, still talking about the standards… we could have had time to review them.”
At the February meeting, Deatherage pushed for more time to review the standards. He also suggested a special session a week later to allow that time. In the end, Deatherage was the only dissenting vote and the standards got approved.
“If I would have known what I know now, I would have voted ‘no,’” said Chris Vandenhende, board member.
Michael Tinney, another board member, said he assumed the standards were the same ones he originally read—the same ones the public read during the public comment period.
“It never dawned on me someone would have changed them without telling the board,” said Tinney.
The email subtly indicates that there are updates to the standards, but does not provide any specifics.
“Listen, I can’t make you read,” said Walters to Tinney. “I can’t make you do research before you vote.”
Legislators can approve or deny the standards — or send them back to the board to make changes.
If that happens, Vandenhende asked Walters to provide documents that justified his changes to the original standards.
“It’s completely irrelevant,” said Walters. “You’re looking at the individual who made the decision on the standards. I am right here. Ultimately, I make the decision on what is in the standards and what is not.”
If lawmakers do not act at all on the standards, they will automatically be approved. The last day to act is April 28.
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