Latest news with #BeckyPringle
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Yes, Oklahoma's new academic standards say to teach students 2020 election fraud myths as fact
Claim: Oklahoma instituted updated academic standards in 2025 requiring schools to teach high school students that widespread fraud impacted the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Rating: In spring 2025, a rumor circulated about Oklahoma's new academic standards that alleged that the state would soon require schools to teach students that systematic voter fraud occurred during the 2020 presidential election. The new standards, many people claimed, reflected debunked conspiracy theories promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump to explain why he lost that election to former President Joe Biden. "Next school year, thousands of high school students in Oklahoma will be required to learn about Trump's debunked claims that the 2020 election was tainted by fraud," said one X post by independent reporter Judd Legum. "The lesson will not be part of a course on conspiracy theories, but an official component of the new social studies curriculum." National Education Association president Becky Pringle called the new academic standards "propaganda" in a May 7 MSNBC appearance (see 2:06). Similar claims spread on platforms like Facebook, Reddit and Bluesky; many posts alleged the state's Department of Education head, Republican Superintendent Ryan Walters, was responsible for the new curriculum requirements and noted that the state ranks 49th in education — likely a reference to a 2024 ranking compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a major watchdog for children's welfare. Oklahoma's new social studies standards for high school students, which take effect in the 2025-26 school year, do, in fact, require students to learn about so-called "discrepancies" in the 2020 election. The updated guidelines list examples for these discrepancies, all of which are theories not based in evidence — and many of which Snopes has independently debunked. Thus, we rate this claim true. Walters did not immediately return a request for comment left for the agency's spokesperson. In an April 29 statement on X, Walters called the new benchmarks a "major victory" for the state. "The most unapologetically conservative, pro-America social studies standards in the nation are moving forward," Walters' post said. "These reforms will reset our classrooms back to educating our children without liberal indoctrination." Oklahoma's 2025 social studies standards are available here. See Page 118 for the academic benchmarks outlined under "United States History" for ninth through 12th grade, which clearly require students to study debunked claims of election fraud, but with the perspective that these theories are legitimate, rather than misinformation. Here is the relevant language from the document: Identify discrepancies in 2020 elections results by looking at graphs and other information, including the sudden halting of ballot-counting in select cities in key battleground states, the security risks of mail-in balloting, sudden batch dumps, an unforeseen record number of voters, and the unprecedented contradiction of "bellwether county" trends. Oklahoma's new academic benchmarks are available for download on the Oklahoma State Board of Education's webpage under the "Handouts" section for the Feb. 27, 2025, meeting in a document titled "22725 Final SS OAS 2-27" (which presumably stands for "Feb. 27, 2025, Final Social Studies Oklahoma Academic Standards Feb. 27"). Snopes has repeatedly debunked many of these supposed 2020 election "discrepancies" listed in Oklahoma's new learning targets, including supposed mail-in ballot security issues and the idea that "sudden batch dumps" of voting ballots or an "unforeseen record number of voters" indicates fraud. We have also previously explained that delayed ballot counting doesn't mean voter fraud is happening. Peer-reviewed research published in the National Academy of Sciences' journal shows that trends for so-called "bellwether counties" — areas in the United States which often choose the winning presidential candidate — were not unusual during the 2020 election. In Oklahoma, the state Department of Education releases proposed updated social studies standards every six years, which the Oklahoma State Board of Education and the Oklahoma Legislature are, in theory, supposed to approve in order for them to go into effect. But if the Legislature takes no action, then the draft rules will go into effect by default 30 days after they are proposed, per state law on academic standards and their review: If the Legislature fails to adopt a joint resolution within thirty (30) legislative days following submission of the standards, the standards shall be deemed approved. That is what happened in this case: Oklahoma's Republican-controlled Legislature did not take action by the May 1 deadline, allowing the new language to go into effect. Attempts by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to block Walters' effort failed to pass. Initial draft language available for public comment differs; that document, dated Dec. 14, 2024, and available on the official Oklahoma State Department of Education website, simply directs students to "examine issues related to the election of 2020 and its outcome" (see Page 118 here). According to Oklahoma Voice, a news outlet focused on the state's government, several State Board of Education officials said they were unaware of last-minute changes in the document when they voted, including the added 2020 election-fraud language. The new learning targets also call for teaching the controversial theory that COVID-19 began in a Chinese laboratory as undisputed fact, as well as describing the "challenges and accomplishments" of Biden's administration (see Page 118.) " Bill Information for HJR 1030 ." Accessed 5 May 2025. " Bill Information for SJR 20 ." Accessed 5 May 2025. "2024 Oklahoma Statutes :: Title 70. Schools :: §70-11-103.6a-1. Legislative Review of Standards – Final Approval." Justia Law, Accessed 5 May 2025. Echter, Brandon. "The 2020 Election Collection: Mail-in Voting." Snopes, 25 Sept. 2020, Accessed 5 May 2025. Eggers, Andrew C., et al. "No Evidence for Systematic Voter Fraud: A Guide to Statistical Claims about the 2020 Election." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 118, no. 45, Nov. 2021, Izzo, Jack. "There's Still No Evidence of Systematic Voter Fraud in the 2020 Election." Snopes, 27 June 2024, Accessed 5 May 2025. Mikkelson, David. "Debunking Trump Tweets: Biden's 143K Vote 'Dump' in Wisconsin." Snopes, 18 Nov. 2020, Accessed 5 May 2025. ---. "Debunking Trump Tweets: Popular Vote Totals Indicative of 'Rigged Election'?" Snopes, 16 Dec. 2020, Accessed 5 May 2025. "New Standards Review and Revision Process." Oklahoma State Department of Education (265), Accessed 5 May 2025. Nuria Martinez-Keel. "Oklahoma Board Members Say They Had 'No Idea' of Changes to Social Studies Standards before Vote • Oklahoma Voice." Oklahoma Voice, States Newsroom, 24 Apr. 2025, Accessed 5 May 2025. Oklahoma State Department of Education. "OAS-SS Public Comment - Google Drive." Google Drive, Dec. 2024, Accessed 5 May 2025. ---. "Oklahoma Academic Standards SOCIAL STUDIES." 27 Feb. 2025, Accessed 5 May 2025. Rascouët-Paz, Anna. "Delayed Vote Totals Don't Mean Voter Fraud Is Happening." Snopes, 29 Oct. 2024, Accessed 5 May 2025. "Senate Democrats Urge Rejection of OSDE Social Studies Standards before Clock Runs out | Oklahoma Senate." 21 Apr. 2025, Accessed 5 May 2025. "State Board of Education." Oklahoma State Department of Education (265), Accessed 5 May 2025. Walters, Ryan. "Today Is a Major Victory for Oklahoma Families and for the Truth. After Months of Democrats and the Teachers Unions Lying and Attacking, the Most Unapologetically Conservative, Pro-America Social Studies Standards in the Nation Are Moving Forward. For Nearly a Year, We Engaged in a Thoughtful, Transparent Process to Deliver Standards That Teach Students Factual History, Including the Realities of the 2020 Election, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the Threat Posed by Communist China. These Reforms Will Reset Our Classrooms back to Educating Our Children without Liberal Indoctrination. As Part of These Standards, the Bible Will Now Be Recognized as a Foundational Text, Helping Students Understand Its Undeniable Influence on Our Nation's History and Values. We're Proud to Defend These Standards, and We Will Continue to Stand up for Honest, Pr…." X (Formerly Twitter), 29 Apr. 2025, Accessed 5 May 2025.
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Whataburger says ‘thank you' to teachers with free breakfast. What to know
National Whataburger says 'thank you' to teachers with free breakfast. What to know Whataburger is serving free breakfast for teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week. Photo by Whataburger Whataburger is showing its appreciation for teachers with free breakfast. Starting Monday, May 5, educators who stop by a participating Whataburger can get a free breakfast item of their choice by showing a valid school ID, according to the Texas-based burger chain. The offer is good through May 9, and no purchase is necessary. Teachers have their pick of Whataburger's breakfast entrees, including the honey butter chicken biscuit and taquito with cheese, when they order in-restaurant or at the drive-thru. 'It's Whataburger's way of showing a little love for the big impact they make every single day,' the restaurant said. National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5-9, while National Teacher Day is celebrated on May 6, according to the National Education Association. The holiday was born in 1953 when then-first lady Eleanor Roosevelt asked Congress for a day 'to acknowledge the work of educators,' the organization said. 'Teachers inspire our children to reach their full potential,' NEA President Becky Pringle said in a statement. 'They are shaping the future by helping students grow both academically and personally, preparing them to become the leaders of tomorrow.' Find your nearest Whataburger here. Tanasia Kenney Sun Herald Go to X Email this person Tanasia is a National Real-Time reporter based in Atlanta. She covers news out of Georgia, Mississippi and the Southeast with a focus on food, retail and consumer reporting. She's an alumna of Kennesaw State University and joined McClatchy in 2020.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Ultimate goal' of closing Education Dept. is to ‘take money from our kids': NEA President
As President Trump prepares to sign an executive order that would effectively end the Department of Education, teachers in Colorado are protesting against the federal cuts to education funding. President of the National Education Association Becky Pringle joins Katy Tur to explain why all American students will be impacted by this executive order.
Boston Globe
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump signs executive order aimed at abolishing Department of Education
Advertisement The executive order drew immediate condemnation from student and teacher advocacy groups and Democrats. 'Ninety percent of American students and 95 percent of students with disabilities learn in our public schools. Eliminating the Department of Education is equivalent to giving up on our future,' said National Education Association President Becky Pringle. '... Our students need more opportunities, more resources, and greater protections, not less.' 'By dismantling (the department), President Trump is implementing his own philosophy on education, which can be summed up in his own words, Trump's order does not eliminate the agency outright. Because the Education Department and its primary programs were created by acts of Congress, only an act of Congress can fully abolish the department. Republicans hold majorities in both houses of Congress but lack the 60 votes in the Senate that are usually required to overcome a filibuster by Democrats. Signing the executive order in the historic East Room of the White House while surrounded by children, Trump appeared to relish in the optics of the event. The White House's messaging earlier in the day, though, seemed to acknowledge the limits of his executive power. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday morning the Education Department 'will be much smaller than it is today.' The department will continue to administer student loans and Pell Grants, which help low-income students access a college education, Leavitt said. Related : Advertisement The federal agency, which opened in 1979, oversees federal funding for public K-12 schools, administers student loans and federal financial aid that universities rely on for revenue, and provides programs and services for low-income students and their families, as well as those with disabilities. It's annual budget is nearly $80 billion, the third largest among the agencies, behind only the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. Federal funding, however, has in recent years accounted for just 13 percent of all K-12 spending, with the bulk of school funding coming from state and local revenue. Thursday's order charges Trump said Thursday the programs would be 'fully preserved,' though he signaled their administration may be transferred to other agencies. Trump's latest order follows several others rattling the nation's schools, including those related to diversity initiatives and transgender students. Like prior orders, it is likely to face legal challenges. Trump has accused the department of 'indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material,' and had promised on the campaign trail to dissolve it. The new order prohibits the department from allocating funds to support diversity efforts or transgender students. Advertisement Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C., which represents about 1,600 colleges and universities, called the executive order 'political theater' and 'not serious public policy.' 'To dismantle any cabinet-level federal agency requires Congressional approval, and we urge lawmakers to reject misleading rhetoric in favor of what is in the best interests of students and their families,' Mitchell said. 'The administration and Congress should focus on improving the important work that the department performs that benefits ordinary Americans, not political messaging that causes unneeded confusion and chaos.' Related : Conservatives, though, celebrated the order, which they see as a necessary move to rein in a wasteful and bloated bureaucracy that has failed to deliver student achievement levels worthy of competing in an increasingly competitive global economy. Thursday's directive follows Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress show stagnation and decline in math and reading scores in the last decade, which were exacerbated by the pandemic. However, fourth and eighth grade students still score significantly higher in math than they did in the early 1990s. Reading scores also improved before the recent backsliding. 'There are lots of positive effects that are pretty obvious,' said Doug Harris, an education researcher at the nonpartisan Brookings Institute and Tulane University. 'Test scores, high school graduation rates, and college-going, they were all going up pretty consistently from the early 1990s forward... People don't know we've improved so much.' Advertisement The Trump administration has already taken aggressive action to slash federal spending, including $900 million underwriting education research. 'Let's call it what it is,' said De'Shawn Washington, 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, '... a business move.' Washington, a fourth grade teacher for Lexington Public Schools, said Trump's latest order is an affront to rank-and-file teachers and their students. 'Education is not a business,' he said. 'This is a human endeavor.' Governor Maura Healey and members of her administration assailed Trump's latest move, saying the order puts the roughly $2 billion in education funding the state receives annually from the federal government at risk. As Healey put it, 'it makes no sense.' 'President Trump claims he wants to give power back to the states, but as a Governor, I know that the way to do that is not gutting the programs and funding that our students rely on,' Healey said. In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu said her office is closely monitoring the impacts of the Trump administration's policies. 'We have and will continue to issue guidance to our school leaders and school communities about what our policies on the ground are, and that everyone should feel comfortable and safe coming to school,' Wu told reporters following Wednesday night's State of the City address. Related : Creation of the Education Department came on the heels of Lyndon Johnson's 'War on Poverty,' which, through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, dramatically expanded the US government's role in public education. The department's creation also involved political machinations, with an increasingly influential National Education Association pledging its support in the 1976 presidential election to the candidate vowing to create a Cabinet-level education agency, Jimmy Carter, said Neal McCluskey, director for the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank located in Washington, D.C. Advertisement The nation's teachers unions have since exerted unchecked control over the department's policies, putting adult needs over those of children, McCluskey and other critics in favor of abolishing the department have argued. Reacting to the mass layoffs, Globe staff writers Hilary Burns, Christopher Huffaker, Jim Puzzanghera, Niki Griswold, and Mike Damiano contributed to this report. This story is developing and will be updated. Mandy McLaren can be reached at
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed in NH challenges Trump's DEI ban in schools
Mar. 5—The nation's largest teachers' union filed a lawsuit Wednesday in federal court in New Hampshire against the U.S. Department of Education, looking to stop enforcement of a directive threatening to pull federal funding from schools with race-based programming, arguing it violates free speech rights of teachers and students. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Concord by the National Education Association (NEA) along with the National Education Association — New Hampshire (NEA-NH), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU-NH, is the second lawsuit to challenge the DOE's February 14 "Dear Colleague" letter, which threatened federal funding cuts for education institutions nationwide for engaging in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts; and a 14-day window before "appropriate measures" would be taken. The American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association sued the department over the letter on Feb. 25. The lawsuit argues the DOE overstepped its legal authority by imposing "unfounded and vague legal restrictions" that violate due process and the First Amendment; limit academic freedom; and dictate what educators can teach and what students are allowed to learn. "Across the country educators do everything in their power to support every student, no matter where they live, how much their family earns, or the color of their skin, ensuring each feels safe, seen, and is prepared for the future," Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said. "We're urging the court to block the Department of Education from enforcing this harmful and vague directive and protect students from politically motivated attacks that stifle speech and erase critical lessons." The lawsuit challenges the letter on four legal grounds: violation of the First Amendment (unconstitutionally restricts speech by prohibiting educators from teaching about race, diversity, equity, and inclusion); violation of the Fifth Amendment (fails to define key terms and practices); violation of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (imposes new legal obligations without the required process and justification); and claims the letter misrepresents the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. Advocates say the decision in that case only addressed race as a formal admissions factor in higher education, and did not ban curriculum, student groups, DEI programming, or race-neutral diversity initiatives. The lawsuit argues the DOE has no authority to dictate curriculum or educational programs, and that federal law protects educational institutions' ability to shape their own curriculum, including programs that reflect and celebrate diversity. "Like New Hampshire's classroom censorship law that we successfully challenged in court, this unconstitutionally vague letter is an attack on educators who are simply doing their job," said Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire. "Teachers are already reporting being afraid to teach for fear of having their teaching deemed unlawful, and that deprives Granite State students of the complete education that they deserve."
