Latest news with #U.S.Naturalization
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Senate rejects education rules on immigration; keeps donation tracking rule
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma Senate voted on an amended resolution Tuesday that rejected two of the administrative rules filed by Superintendent Ryan Walters and the State Board of Education. The amendment to the list of rules removed teacher requirements to take a U.S. Naturalization test as well as the need for districts to ask for citizenship paperwork during enrollment. The Senate approved one amendment by Senator Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) that requires school districts to report non-government donations of more than $17,000. Lawmakers try again to separate out powers of State School Board 'Donations of more than $17,000 can no longer be given anonymously,' said Jett. Jett said the reason behind the amendment was because parents should know who is funding their child's education. Jett also filed amendments that would add the naturalization test and citizenship check back into the Education Administrative Rules but those were tabled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate committee rejects immigration rules for Oklahoma schools
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Lawmakers at the State Capitol voted Wednesday to reject controversial rules proposed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters. The bipartisan Senate Administrative Rules Committee voted 6-1 on a resolution that would remove two key rules: Requiring public schools to ask families for proof of U.S. Citizenship during school enrollment, and requiring teachers to take a U.S. Naturalization test. RELATED: OSDE passes rule to require citizenship status of families Senator Micheal Bergstrom (R-Adair) was the co-chair of the committee who submitted the resolution. 'As Chairman Kendricks and I looked at it, we decided there probably was not legislative authority for those rules,' said Bergstrom. Governor Kevin Stitt has spoken out against schools asking for proof of citizenship. A House committee disapproved of the rule last month. Wednesday's meeting was expected to be a long discussion with three amendments filed. Two of the amendments, filed by Senator Michael Brooks Jimenez (D-Oklahoma City), were pulled. Another amendment, filed by Senator Shane Jett (R-Shawnee), was not heard because the meeting had a quorum before Jett arrived, and he did not get to vote. 'Frustrated would be a very, very light word for how I actually felt about it,' said Jett. RELATED: Teachers to be required to take U.S. Naturalization test His amendment would have allowed the citizenship checks in schools to remain in place. 'I have actually filed this amendment to be heard on the floor. So everyone is going to get an opportunity to take a stance that they could have,' said Jett. The resolution will head to the Senate floor for a full vote. Bergstrom expects that will happen soon. If approved by the full Senate, the rules will go back to the House for approval. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Oklahoma City.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Teachers to be required to take U.S. Naturalization test
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma Board of Education recently approved a rule requiring teachers to take a test based on the U.S. Naturalization test, the same test used to become U.S. citizens. 'All of our teachers will be required to take the U.S. Naturalization test to ensure that they understand the basics of America, American history, American government and civics,' said State Superintendent Ryan Walters. Superintendents react to proposed counting of students' citizenship The rule would mean, in addition to getting a teaching certification, teachers would also have to take the U.S. Citizenship test. 'And this requirement will help Oklahoma lead the way to ensure in every classroom that understanding, is being given,' said Superintendent Walters. However, some believe this isn't the best idea. 'There have been so many efforts in the recent past from the legislature to do things like decrease the number of assessments we have to take to become educators,' said Cari Elledge, the elected President of Oklahoma Education Association. The elected president of the Oklahoma Education Association also said this new rule wouldn't be in Oklahoma's best interest when it comes to getting more teachers to apply for jobs and staying in them. 'This just kind of adds some redundancy to it. And it's one more thing on the plate when they've been trying to take things off the plate of educators,' said Elledge. OSDE passes rule to require citizenship status of families The rule would mean all teachers would take the test, which the OEA said might be easier for those who already teach that content. 'A pre-k teacher, a PE teacher, there are so many different examples of how that would just be an extra hoop to jump through,' said Elledge. The OEA said they will continue to push for ways to help make things more efficient for educators in any way they can. The rules aren't in effect yet. First, they will go through the legislature then head to the governor's desk. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
