TULSA, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Supreme Court blocked contested social studies standards for state school districts for the time being.
The court prohibited State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the state from implementing new social studies standards. State officials are also prohibited from spending any state funds on the standards. The court ordered the state to treat the prior version of the standards, which were enacted in 2019, as remaining in effect.
Walters responded to the ruling with this statement:
“The Oklahoma Supreme Court is embarrassing and clearly is out of step with Oklahomans. They’re ignoring the fact that in other states the Bible is openly taught as the cornerstone of Western civilization. Christianity, American exceptionalism, and conservative values are under attack and the Oklahoma Supreme Court is leading the assault.”
In April, 2 News took a closer look at the proposed standards and compared them to prior standards.
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Comparing Supt. Ryan Walters’ rewritten, controversial social studies standards
Several lawsuits were also filed calling the way the standards were approved illegal. Those claims say the process violated the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and other procedural requirements.
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Board members accuse Ryan Walters of secretly changing social studies standards
The ruling prohibits the state from taking further action or spending public funds to enforce these standards until a ruling comes from the Oklahoma State Supreme Court.
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