logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Obituaries
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinion
  • Sports
  • E-edition
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisers
    • Form Submission
    • About Us
    • News
      • Obituaries
      • Lifestyle
      • Opinion
    • Sports
    • E-edition
    • Calendar
    • Archives
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Advertisers
      • Form Submission
      • About Us
Board OKs controversial Social Studies standards
News
March 6, 2025
Board OKs controversial Social Studies standards
By JENNIFER PALMER OKLAHOMA WATCH

The Board of Education on Thursday advanced new academic standards for social studies that would require public schools to teach the Bible.

Academic standards outline what students are expected to learn in each grade and subject, but they don’t dictate how teachers teach or mandate any specific curriculum. In Oklahoma, they are revisited on a six-year cycle that aligns with textbook adoption. The Legislature must approve the final version.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has pushed the state’s public schools to teach the Bible as a historical resource.

Mentions of Christianity and the Bible appear more than 40 times and for students as young as first grade in the revised social studies standards. That’s compared to one time in the current iteration.

For example, second- grade teachers would be expected to instruct students to “identify stories from Christianity that influenced the American colonists, founders, and culture, including the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.

By a 5-1 vote, the board approved the new version. They considered delaying the vote to give the three new members, Ryan Deatherage, Michael Tinney and Chris Van-Denhende, appointed this month, more time to review the information. Walters urged them to proceed.

More than 30 organizations, churches and religious leaders signed a letter opposing the standards and urging the Board of Education to reject them.

“After careful review of the draft academic standards for social studies, we believe that the representation of religious, spiritual, ethical, and nonreligious traditions and communities within the standards improperly and erroneously privileges Christianity,” they wrote.

Several conservative pundits were appointed by Walters to oversee the process. They included radio host and PragerU founder Dennis Prager, conservative talk show host Steve Deace, Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, and Texan David Barton, an activist working to overturn church-state separation through his nonprofit, WallBuilders.

The board also approved new science standards.

The Legislature must also approve new standards.

Jennifer Palmer has been a reporter with Oklahoma Watch since 2016 and covers education. Contact her at (405) 7610093 or jpalmer@oklahomawatch.org. Follow her on Twitter @ jpalmerOKC.

Checotah lit up the sky this 4th of July
A: Main, News...
Checotah lit up the sky this 4th of July
By LADONNA RHODES STAFF WRITER 
July 10, 2025
The City of Checotah showed off its bold stripes, bright stars and brave hearts this Fourth of July after working countless hours so residents could celebrate their freedom with lots of family fun and...
this is a test
A: Main, News...
Sexual Assault Awareness Honor Walk
July 10, 2025
Friday, July 11 at 12 p.m. Posey Park, Eufaula Show your support for survivors Take a stand against violence! Muscogee (Creek) Nation Center for Victim Services
this is a test
A: Main, News...
Annual Memorial Service planned at Honey Springs Battlefield
July 10, 2025
CHECOTAH — Honey Springs Battlefield will hold its annual memorial service on Saturday, July 19, at 10:30 a.m. to honor the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs near Checotah. The service ...
this is a test
Farewell to Checotah’s friend, Jerri Reaves
A: Main, News...
Farewell to Checotah’s friend, Jerri Reaves
By LADONNA RHODES STAFF WRITER 
July 10, 2025
Last Thursday family and friends said goodbye to former city councilwoman Jerri Reaves who had passed away on June 26 at the age of 82. Jerri graduated from Checotah High School in 1962. In 1980, she ...
this is a test
News
Trump administration freezes over $70 million state’s education funds
By NURIA MARTINEZ-KEEL OKLAHOMA VOICE 
July 10, 2025
States won’t receive funds from six federal programs, including after-school care and English learner support, until further notice. OKLAHOMA CITY — The Trump administration is indefinitely withholdin...
this is a test
News
Jeff Starling launches campaign for attorney general
July 10, 2025
TULSA ––Jeff Starling, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment, has officially announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Oklahoma. Starling is a conservative, attorney, businessman, and d...
this is a test
United for Oklahoma
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
Plumb Theatre News
News
Plumb Theatre News
By MATTIE AND PAUL MALOY PLUMB THEATRE 
July 10, 2025
Never too early to start singing and the HALLELUJAH HONEYS are representative of that. Kate Andrews will be singing and playing with two other Honeys, Aubree,13, and Charlee, 10. They are some cuties ...
this is a test
Freedom Fest
News
Freedom Fest
July 10, 2025
Checotah residents celebrated their freedom with lots of family fun and fireworks on July 4th weekend at Freedom Fest.
this is a test
Police training
News
Police training
July 10, 2025
Recently local law enforcement trained for two days on different scenarios that might arise during traffic stops, hostage situations, domestic disturbances, and more.
this is a test
News
Two from area on UCO Honor Rolls
July 10, 2025
EDMOND - Two from this area have made he University of Central Oklahoma recently announced the students named to the university’s honor rolls; a distinction given to those who achieve the highest acad...
this is a test
Warriors of God, ready yourselves
commentary
Warriors of God, ready yourselves
July 10, 2025
Of my 56 years of being in this world, 50 of those years I have been filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I was only six years old when I attended my first Tiger Mount...
this is a test
Facebook
Twitter
Tweets
Twitter
Tweets

MCINTOSH COUNTY DEMOCRAT
300-A S. Broadway
Checotah, OK
74426

(918) 473-2313

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 Mcintosh Democrat

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy