Oklahoma will test incoming teachers from NY and CA for 'wokeness'

Educational Policy & Ideology - Oklahoma is implementing an "America First" exam for incoming teachers from New York and California, aiming to screen out "woke indoctrinators" [1] - The test, created with the help of conservative media nonprofit PragerU, covers government, religion, and gender [1][2] - PragerU's teaching materials, now part of the Oklahoma school system, present controversial viewpoints on topics like slavery and gender roles [2][3] - Critics argue this represents an ideological shift in education, moving beyond supplemental material to influencing teacher certification [5][13] - Concerns are raised that the focus on identity and race in current teaching methods is negatively impacting students [10] Curriculum & Perspectives - The report highlights the debate around contextualizing historical events like slavery, with concerns that certain presentations may downplay its severity [8] - Educators argue they already supplement curricula with diverse perspectives and primary source documents [8][9] - There's a pushback against what's perceived as a "fake" or biased retelling of American history [9] - The report suggests a disconnect between political narratives and the actual experiences of students and teachers in classrooms [11][12][13]