Democrats are livid with Oklahoma lawmakers for requiring out-of-state academics, lots of them from deep-blue states, to move a fundamental civics take a look at earlier than teaching in Oklahoma lecture rooms.
The legislation is simple: anybody chargeable for educating American college students should display data of the U.S. Structure, the Invoice of Rights, and fundamental rules of presidency.
But the left is treating this as if it had been some radical assault on public training.
BREAKING: Democrats are livid with Oklahoma lawmakers for requiring out-of-state academics, lots of them from deep-blue states, to move a fundamental civics take a look at earlier than educating in Oklahoma lecture rooms. pic.twitter.com/O21OgRjVhe
— Gregory Lyakhov (@GregoryLyakhov) August 31, 2025
The take a look at itself shouldn’t be sophisticated. It mirrors the civics portion of the U.S. naturalization examination—the identical take a look at immigrants should move to develop into residents.
Pattern questions embody: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? or What’s the supreme legislation of the land?
If immigrants in search of citizenship can study these solutions, absolutely academics entrusted with the training of younger Individuals must be held to the identical normal.
The statistics converse for themselves.
In line with a 2022 survey from the Annenberg Public Coverage Heart, solely 47% of Individuals may title all three branches of presidency. Much more troubling, 23% couldn’t title a single department.
The rising disaster of civic illiteracy displays many years of neglect in faculties the place fundamental U.S. historical past and constitutional rules have been sidelined in favor of political activism.
Academics who have no idea or respect America’s founding paperwork can’t be anticipated to instill civic accountability of their college students.
Oklahoma’s method is each affordable and standard. Polling persistently exhibits that Individuals need extra civics in faculties.
A 2021 Gallup ballot discovered that 73% of adults consider Ok-12 faculties ought to place larger emphasis on educating civics and authorities.
Mother and father understand that with out civic data, the following technology can’t operate as knowledgeable voters. The Nationwide Evaluation of Academic Progress (NAEP) revealed in 2022 that solely 22% of eighth graders scored proficient in civics.
Meaning practically 4 out of 5 college students are failing to know the fundamentals of how their authorities works.
By requiring academics to pass a civics take a look at, Oklahoma is solely addressing the issue at its root.
Academics who arrive from states like California or New York—the place curricula typically focus extra on id politics than American historical past—will now be requested to show they’ll train the necessities.
That is hardly unreasonable. Actually, it’s common sense.
In spite of everything, each state requires academics to move certification exams in math or studying earlier than stepping right into a classroom.
Why ought to civics be handled as much less essential?
Democrats’ backlash reveals a deeper discomfort. Their opposition to Oklahoma’s legislation shouldn’t be concerning the problem of the take a look at—it’s concerning the precept behind it.
For decades, the left has resisted efforts to bolster patriotism, civic obligation, and parental rights in training.
They’ve promoted radical curricula whereas downplaying America’s achievements.
Now, when one state insists that academics know the very system they’re supposed to elucidate to college students, the left calls it an assault.
The reality is easy: no trainer must be allowed to form the minds of American college students with out fundamental civic data.
If immigrants can move the take a look at, so can teachers. Oklahoma has set a mannequin that different states ought to observe.
The outrage from Democrats solely proves how far they’ve strayed from valuing citizenship and nationwide unity.
Each state ought to demand that educators, particularly these coming from failing blue-state techniques, move the identical take a look at.
Anybody stepping foot close to American college students ought to know the fundamentals of the republic they’re getting ready younger individuals to inherit.
