Oklahoma's Education Guidelines Mandate Learning About 2020 Election 'Inconsistencies'

Authored by Beth Wallis

Pictured here in 2023, Ryan Walters, the Superintendent of Public Instruction for Oklahoma, supports the new educational guidelines that prompt students to explore 'inconsistencies in the 2020 election results.'

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, newly adopted academic standards highlight 'discrepancies' in the 2020 election, propagating long-standing false narratives first introduced by President Trump and his followers.

These guidelines were activated last month after the Republican-majority legislature chose not to impede their implementation. Despite opposition to the process from some members of the state’s leading party, there has been minimal criticism of the guidelines themselves.

Details of the Guidelines and Their Implementation

The high school U.S. history social studies standard includes unfounded allegations regarding how ballots were counted and the security of mail-in voting systems.

Students are tasked to: 'Recognize anomalies in the 2020 election by examining graphs and other data, including pauses in ballot processing in specific cities and key decisive states, potential security issues with mail voting, unexpected large batches of votes, an unforeseen high voter turnout, and the unusual deviation from usual bellwether county trends.'

Promoted by Ryan Walters, a fervent conservative and the state's education chief, these guidelines state: 'These new criteria will ensure students gain a thorough and precise understanding of historical incidents, while reinforcing core American values,' Walters declared at a State Board of Education session in February.

The guidelines were approved swiftly, following Walters' incorrect assertion to board members that immediate approval was necessary to meet legislative deadlines.

Newly appointed board members requested the legislature to return the guidelines for further review, but the state legislature refrained from intervening following a private meeting with Walters.

Controversy Over Promoting Unverified Election Claims

Critics argue the guidelines do not promote true critical thinking. Anton Schulzki, temporary leader of the National Council for the Social Studies, notes that the instruction seems to suggest that 'discrepancies' are an acknowledged reality, contrary to encouraging authentic inquiry.

Tammy Patrick from the Election Center argues that without clarifying the normality of overnight vote counts, the guidelines may foster misunderstanding rather than critical thinking.

Patrick cautions that ongoing falsehoods about the election damage public trust and should not be mistaken for factual instruction in schools.

Oklahoma's academic standards function as mandatory educational benchmarks teachers must follow to retain certification and school accreditation. Local districts select the resources needed to fulfill these requirements.

Aaron Baker, a government teacher in Oklahoma City, although not directly involved as the standard pertains to U.S. History, emphasizes he would provide fact-checking if needed. He expresses willingness to explain to students, as he has done for years, that multiple court rulings have found no widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

Creation and Opposition to the Standards

Critics, including Baker, are also troubled by the manner in which the guidelines were established. Late in the review process, significant changes were made, disregarding months of educational input, with conservative voices shaping the final version.

Baker perceives the alteration process as dismissive of educators' perspectives and overly influenced by outside contributors, suggesting a lack of respect for Oklahoma's unique educational needs.

Although set for implementation in the upcoming school year, a legal challenge by a former GOP state attorney general may delay their enforcement. The legal challenge criticizes the approval method rather than the content of the guidelines.