WHAT WE DO IS CREATE PATRIOTIC EDUCATION, PATRIOTIC EDUCATION IS NOT PROPAGANDA. NEW. TODAY WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THAT’S WHAT STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS SAYS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR TEACHERS MOVING TO OKLAHOMA FROM CERTAIN STATES. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT WOKE. KOCO KONAWA IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM. HE’S BEEN FOLLOWING THIS. DAKOTA PRAGER, YOU SAID THEY’RE EXCITED TO HELP OKLAHOMA WITH THIS. WELL, PRAGER U KIDS SAYS IT’S ALL ABOUT REINSTATING OBJECTIVE TRUTH. AND THAT STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS CAME UP TO THEM ABOUT THAT IDEA ABOUT THE AMERICA FIRST ASSESSMENT. WHY ALSO ASKED LAWMAKERS FOR THEIR OPINION ON THIS TEST AND HOW IT’S BEING ADMINISTERED. ANYTIME THERE IS A FACTUAL, OBJECTIVE REVIEW, I AM ALL FOR IT. FOR FOR ALL EDUCATORS AND FRANKLY, FOR US PARENTS. PRAGER U KIDS IS THE GROUP TAPPED TO HELP PUT TOGETHER OKLAHOMA’S AMERICA FIRST ASSESSMENT, WHILE STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS SAYS IT WOULD BE FOR TEACHERS FROM PROGRESSIVE STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK. SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS ALSO IS TRYING TO REINSTATE OBJECTIVE TRUTH IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT POTENTIAL OKLAHOMA TEACHERS ARE, IN FACT, UNIFIED WITH THESE BASIC FOUNDATIONAL TENETS SO THAT THEY CAN PROPERLY EDUCATE KIDS WITH KNOWLEDGE INSTEAD OF POLITICIZED ACTIVISM THAT I’VE SEEN IN MY HOME STATE OF CALIFORNIA. JILL SIMONIAN WITH PRAGER U KIDS SAYS THEIR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE VIDEOS. THEN, SHE SAYS WALTERS OR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WOULD WRITE THE TEST. SHE SAYS THERE IS NO EXCHANGE OF MONEY AND SAYS THEY HEAR THE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN OKLAHOMA EDUCATION FROM PARENTS WHO THINK THE GROUP IS TOO CONSERVATIVE. I HEAR THEIR CONCERNS AND I DO NOT AGREE WITH THEIR CONCERNS, BUT THAT’S THE BEAUTY OF OUR NATION. SO IS ALL OF THIS ENFORCEABLE? WELL, HOUSE DEMOCRAT JOHN WALDRON HESITANTLY SAYS HE THINKS SO, WHICH IS WHY WE SHOULD BE ASKING SOME SOME SHARP QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGING HIM ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS REALLY APPROPRIATE. WALDRON ALSO SAYS IT’S ARBITRARY TO ONLY REQUIRE FOR CERTAIN STATES AND SENATE REPUBLICAN SHANE JETT SAYS THE TEST IS A GOOD THING AND HE’LL FIGHT FOR IT IF THE LEGISLATURE ENDS UP HAVING ANY ROLE. IT’S PART OF OF OF THE LITMUS TEST. ARE YOU GOING TO BE A GOOD TEACHER? ARE YOU NOT GOING TO BE AN ACTIVIST IN THE CLASSROOM? LET’S TEACH OUR KIDS TO LOVE THIS STATE, LOVE THIS COUNTRY, AND LEARN HOW TO READ, WRITE AND DO MATH. NOW THAT AMERICA FIRST ASSESSMENT IS NOT FINALIZED IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DID NOT GIVE A TIMELINE FOR WHEN IT WILL B
Oklahoma’s proposed ‘America First Assessment’ for teachers draws mixed reactions
The ‘America First Assessment’ for teachers moving to Oklahoma from certain states is causing debate, with PragerU Kids involved in its development and lawmakers expressing varied opinions.
Oklahoma’s “America First Assessment,” a new requirement for teachers relocating from progressive states like California and New York, is stirring debate over its impact on education and the involvement of PragerU Kids in its development. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel”What we do is create patriotic education. Patriotic education is not propaganda,” said Jill Simonian, from PragerU Kids. “Any time there is a factual, objective review, I am all for it, for all educators, and frankly, for us parents.” “Superintendent Walters also is trying to reinstate objective truth in the education system to make sure that potential Oklahoma teachers are, in fact, unified with these basic foundational tenants so that they can properly educate kids with knowledge instead of politicized activism that I’ve seen in my home state of California,” she said.Simonian clarified that PragerU Kids’ role is to provide videos, while Walters or the Department of Education will write the test. She addressed concerns from parents about the group’s conservative stance, saying, “I hear their concerns and I do not agree with their concerns, but that’s the beauty of our nation.”Democratic Rep. John Waldron, from Tulsa, expressed hesitance about the enforceability of the assessment, suggesting the need for scrutiny.”Which is why we should be asking some sharp questions and challenging him about whether this is really appropriate,” Waldron said.Waldron also criticized the selective requirement for teachers from certain states as arbitrary.Republican Sen. Shane Jett, from Shawnee, supports the initiative, stating, “It’s part of the litmus test; are you going to be a good teacher? Are you not going to be an activist in the classroom?” “Let’s teach our kids to love this state, love this country and learn how to read, write and do math,” Lett said.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.The “America First Assessment” continues to be a topic of discussion as Oklahoma moves forward with its implementation.Now, the “America First Assessment” is not finalized and the Oklahoma State Department of Education did not give a timeline for when it will be complete.Top HeadlinesTIMELINE: Severe storms could bring damaging wind, flooding to Oklahoma this weekendGrocery store closure in small Oklahoma towns potentially leave 85 employees joblessEdmond CityLink manager taken to hospital after being stabbed by passenger, police sayWater bottles sold at Walmart recalled after causing vision lossOSDE introduces ‘America First Assessment’ for teachers moving from certain states
Oklahoma’s “America First Assessment,” a new requirement for teachers relocating from progressive states like California and New York, is stirring debate over its impact on education and the involvement of PragerU Kids in its development.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
“What we do is create patriotic education. Patriotic education is not propaganda,” said Jill Simonian, from PragerU Kids. “Any time there is a factual, objective review, I am all for it, for all educators, and frankly, for us parents.”
“Superintendent Walters also is trying to reinstate objective truth in the education system to make sure that potential Oklahoma teachers are, in fact, unified with these basic foundational tenants so that they can properly educate kids with knowledge instead of politicized activism that I’ve seen in my home state of California,” she said.
Simonian clarified that PragerU Kids’ role is to provide videos, while Walters or the Department of Education will write the test.
She addressed concerns from parents about the group’s conservative stance, saying, “I hear their concerns and I do not agree with their concerns, but that’s the beauty of our nation.”
Democratic Rep. John Waldron, from Tulsa, expressed hesitance about the enforceability of the assessment, suggesting the need for scrutiny.
“Which is why we should be asking some sharp questions and challenging him about whether this is really appropriate,” Waldron said.
Waldron also criticized the selective requirement for teachers from certain states as arbitrary.
Republican Sen. Shane Jett, from Shawnee, supports the initiative, stating, “It’s part of the litmus test; are you going to be a good teacher? Are you not going to be an activist in the classroom?”
“Let’s teach our kids to love this state, love this country and learn how to read, write and do math,” Lett said.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
The “America First Assessment” continues to be a topic of discussion as Oklahoma moves forward with its implementation.
Now, the “America First Assessment” is not finalized and the Oklahoma State Department of Education did not give a timeline for when it will be complete.
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