The Daily Populous Tuesday September 2nd, 2025 night edition
Authored by newson6.com and submitted by southpawFA

Oklahoma will now require teachers from California and New York to pass a newly unveiled 34-question “America First” certification test developed with PragerU.

Teachers moving to Oklahoma from California or New York will now be required to pass a newly unveiled “America First” certification test, a 34-question exam designed in partnership with PragerU and championed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters as a way to block what he calls “radical leftist ideology” from entering classrooms.

A test to safeguard values, or a loyalty exam?

Walters said the measure ensures that teachers entering Oklahoma classrooms reflect “American values” and adhere to the state’s curriculum standards. “We want great citizens. We want our kids to have a patriotic education,” Walters said.

Related: Oklahoma to require 'America First' test for out-of-state teacher applicants; what to know

Critics, however, have branded it a political loyalty test. National education groups, including the American Federation of Teachers, warn it could worsen the state’s ongoing teacher shortage by deterring qualified applicants.

“This MAGA loyalty test will be yet another turnoff for teachers in a state already struggling with a huge shortage,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said.

Related: Oklahoma will test teachers from New York and California to guard against ‘radical leftist ideology’

The full exam has been released publicly, and the list of questions has been obtained by News 9.

The test combines traditional civics questions with additional questions regarding gender and identity:

Why is freedom of religion important to America's identity? (It protects religious choice from government control) "What is the fundamental biological distinction between males and females?" (Chromosomes and reproductive anatomy) "Which chromosome pair determines biological sex in humans?” (XX/XY) "How is a child's biological sex typically identified?" (Visual anatomical observation and chromosomes) “Why is the distinction between male and female considered important in areas like sports and privacy?” (To preserve fairness, safety, and integrity for both sexes) “What did the Supreme Court rule in the 2025 case Mahmoud v. Taylor?” (Public schools cannot require participation in LGBTQ-themed instruction without parental opt-out) "What cause is Martin Luther King Jr. best known for?" (Advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion) "What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?" (Ended slavery in the rebelling Confederate states) "What right does the Second Amendment protect?" (The right to keep and bear arms) "Which of the following are explicitly listed in the Bill of Rights?" (Freedom of speech and religion) "According to the Supreme Court cases Meyer v. Nebraska (1923) and Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925), who has the ultimate right to direct a child's education? (The parents)

“What are the first three words of the Constitution?” (We the People) “How many U.S. Senators are there?” (100) "Who were the first three U.S. presidents?" (George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson) “When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?” (July 4, 1776) “Who wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence?” (Thomas Jefferson) "Who was President during the Great Depression and WWII?" (Franklin D. Roosevelt) "How did the Cold War end?" (The Soviet Union collapsed) "What was Abraham Lincoln's primary reason for waging the Civil War?" (To preserve the Union) "In the United States, which of the following is a responsibility reserved only for citizens?" (Serve on a jury)" "What was the primary reason the colonists fought the British?" (To resist taxation without representation)

“What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?” (The Senate and the House of Representatives) “Who signs bills into law?” (The president) “What is the highest court in the United States?” (The Supreme Court) "What is the primary responsibility of the president's Cabinet?" (Advise the president) "Why do some states have more Representatives than others?" (Representation is allocated by population)" “What is the supreme law of the United States?” (Answer: The Constitution)

"Who is called the "Father of our Country"? (George Washington) “What is the name of the national anthem?” (The Star-Spangled Banner) “Why are there thirteen stripes on the American flag?” (To symbolize the original colonies) “Which national holiday honors those who died while serving in the U.S. military?” (Memorial Day) "Which of the following is a phrase from the Pledge of Allegiance?" (One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all)

“Why is freedom of religion important to America’s identity?” (It protects religious choice from government control) “From whom does the United States government derive its power?” (The people)

Related: Sample questions released from test required for teachers from California and New York

Those who finish the exam receive a digital certificate of completion issued by PragerU. The certificate, which can be reattempted until a passing score is achieved, verifies that applicants have successfully passed what the certificate calls a “Teacher Qualification Test.”

There is no requirement for test-takers to submit information attesting to their status as an educator apart from an email and phone number.

The word "certify" is mispelled as "certifiy" on the official certificate.

Walters has defended the requirement as a safeguard against what he describes as California and New York mandates teaching “27 genders” and erasing differences between men and women.

“You're gonna have to know what a woman is... You’re going to have to show that you understand the basics of American government and American history,” Walters said in an interview with News 9.

Walters says the initiative could serve as a model for other states, saying that officials elsewhere have already reached out with interest.

Opponents say the move could further strain Oklahoma’s already thin teacher pipeline. Rep. Cyndi Munson (D-OKC) called it “another day of chaos and confusion brought to us by the State Superintendent,” while Democratic Party Chair John Waldron said it is “a sad echo of a more paranoid past.”

“Teachers are not rushing here from other states to teach,” Waldron said. “We’ve got an enormous teacher shortage, and it’s not like we have a giant supply of teachers coming in from blue states anyway.”

Roughly 250 current Oklahoma teachers may also be asked to take the test under Walters’ plan. The Oklahoma State Department of Education has said no taxpayer funds were used to develop the exam, saying that PragerU created it without contracts or payments.

Seedfusion on September 1st, 2025 at 19:03 UTC »

This is all for performance.

No teacher from California or New York is moving to Oklahoma to teach. What is there in OK to attract them? Both states pay substantially higher salaries than Oklahoma and offer better standards of living.

BigDaddyBain on September 1st, 2025 at 18:59 UTC »

Oklahoma is dead last in education rankings.

The only time conservatives care about children is when they can exploit them to push an agenda.

southpawFA on September 1st, 2025 at 18:57 UTC »

The certificate misspells the word "certify", if you look closely.

It says certifiy.

Ryan Walters is so incompetent as an education official. We wonder why Oklahoma's 50th in education.