New test requirement for OK out-of-state teachers
Oklahoma’s state superintendent, Ryan Walters, has introduced a new requirement that teachers relocating from California and New York must pass a 50-question PragerU-developed exam—aimed at screening out what he calls “radical leftist ideology”—to obtain teaching certification. The test covers topics such as U.S. government structure, American history, religious freedom, and biological sex versus gender identity, with sample questions including prompts like the first words of the Constitution and the importance of religious freedom. Supporters say the measure ensures alignment with “traditional American values,” while critics—including major teachers' unions and legal scholars—characterize it as a politically motivated “MAGA loyalty test” that risks violating constitutional protections, potentially exacerbating Oklahoma’s preexisting teacher shortage.