Oklahoma has approved new social studies standards that REQUIRE high school students to study debunked claims about the 2020 presidential election-a move widely seen as injecting right-wing conspiracy theories into public education. Despite overwhelming evidence and dozens of court rulings confirming the election’s legitimacy, the new curriculum instructs students to examine “discrepancies” promoted by Donald Trump and his allies, such as supposed ballot dumps and the security risks of mail-in voting.

The changes were pushed through by State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a staunch Trump supporter, using a rushed and controversial process that left even some Republicans uneasy. Education experts and the Oklahoma Council for Social Studies have condemned the standards, warning that they undermine students’ critical thinking skills and present settled facts as if they’re up for debate.

Democratic leaders argue that this move is a costly distraction from real educational priorities and accuse the GOP-led legislature of putting politics ahead of students. Instead of helping students learn how to think critically, critics say the new standards risk turning classrooms into arenas for partisan misinformation, all at the expense of Oklahoma taxpayers.