Oklahoma ideology test for out-of-state teachers draws criticism

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JAMIE STENGLE

Summary:

– Teachers from California and New York must pass a PragerU exam to get certified in Oklahoma.

– Supporters say it blocks “radical leftist ideology”; critics call it indoctrination.

– Move comes amid Oklahoma’s worsening teacher shortage .

Oklahoma will require applicants for teacher jobs coming from California and New York to pass an exam that the Republican -dominated state’s top education official says is designed to safeguard against “radical leftist ideology,” but which opponents decry as a “ MAGA loyalty test.”

Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s public schools superintendent, said Monday that any teacher coming from the two blue states will be required to pass an assessment exam administered by PragerU, an Oklahoma-based c