What are the new education rules proposed by Ryan Walters about diversity, teachers and prayer?

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters formally proposed new state education rules Friday that he said would ban the use of state money on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in Oklahoma’s K-12 schools and eliminate what he called “sexually provocative behaviors,” including drag queen performances, by teachers and administrators.

Walters would allow 'voluntary prayer'

A third proposal would require the state’s 500-plus school districts to “adopt a policy that permits those students and teachers who wish to do so to participate in voluntary prayer,” although such legal protections already are in place, and would threaten a district’s accreditation if it’s not found to be in compliance.

All three proposals, which Walters said were coming during a state Board of Education meeting Thursday, were presented after recent news events spotlighted those topics. Walters’ DEI proposal follows Gov. Kevin Stitt’s executive order, issued earlier this month, requiring state agencies and institutions of higher education in Oklahoma to initiate a review of DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures and programs to “eliminate and dismiss” what the order called “non-critical personnel.”

Walters’ DEI proposal mirrors Stitt’s order. The proposal would forbid public school districts from using funds, property or resources to grant or support DEI positions or departments, and would prohibit requiring any DEI education or training. It also would ban:

• Requiring any person to swear, certify, or agree to any loyalty oath that favors or prefers one particular race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin over another.

• Requiring any person to certify or declare agreement with, recognition of, or adherence to, any particular political, philosophical, religious, or other ideological viewpoint.

• Requiring any applicant for employment to provide a DEI statement.

• Requiring any person to disclose their pronouns.

Critics say employers want grads who understand DEI principles

“It is abundantly clear that Ryan Walters doesn’t believe a word he says, because if he did, he wouldn’t be trying to remove DEI from public-school curriculum,” said Bailee Tyler, the chair of the Oklahoma chapter of the grassroots group Defense of Democracy. “DEI is not only important for a well-functioning society, but is mandatory for most employers.

“He spoke previously of wanting to bring in free-market principles. Well, the free market will not want to hire recent grads that don’t know or adhere to DEI principles and policies in the workplace. Most corporations are asking these questions in initial interviews.”

The second proposal says an Oklahoma teacher “may be dismissed, refused employment, or not reemployed after a finding that such person has, either in the presence of a minor or in a manner available to a minor online, engaged in sexual acts, acts that appeal to the prurient interest in sex as found by the average person applying contemporary community standards, or acts that excessively promote sexuality in light of the educational value of the material and in light of the youngest age of any student with access to said material.”

Walters had a public dispute with Western Heights Public Schools earlier this year after it was revealed that a principal in the district performs as a drag queen. A spokesman for the Western Heights district didn’t immediately return a message left Friday by The Oklahoman.

However, Western Heights School Board President Briana Flatley had known about the drag performances before choosing to hire the principal. She said she was confident he would do a capable job and not pose a threat.

Last month, Prague Public Schools in Lincoln County received a letter from the Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation after receiving a report from an anonymous community member in Prague that the school had hosted daily prayers during its morning “Rise and Shine” segment. The foundation also said the district’s Facebook page regularly posted photos and names of young students who “asked if they could pray.” Both actions, the foundation said, were unconstitutional.

Walters says atheists 'bully' small school districts

An attorney for the Prague district responded and said the district agreed and would ensure neither the posts nor prayer would occur in the future. Walters was furious and said the district was “backing down to a radical atheist group,” after which the foundation called for Walters’ resignation.

“We have seen out-of-state, atheist activists bully small Oklahoma school districts into abandoning their own students’ and teachers’ right to the free expression of their religion,” Walters said. “We are protecting those rights, ensuring each school district has a policy to permit voluntary prayer and a moment of silence for students to reflect or pray on their own. I will make all resources available to protect teachers' and students' constitutional and moral rights.”

Ryan Dudley, a state policy manager for the foundation, said Friday the rules proposals are “an absolute waste of time. Our take is that this is Ryan Walters grandstanding – nothing more than that. What he is proposing here has always been legal. Students and teachers are always free to pray on their own time. What remains unconstitutional is you cannot indoctrinate or coerce prayer. That’s what he’s doing. He’s writing this into policy, forcing these schools to adopt policies for things they are already able to do.”

Under Walters’ proposal, every Oklahoma district will have to report annually that it has adopted policies that comply with the rule and if the district fails to comply, “the State Department of Education … shall recommend an accreditation deficiency to the State Board of Education.” The same applies for what would be a mandated “minute of silence” that should “begin with an announcement over the public address system” at a school.

Any permanent rules changes could take months to actually take effect, as the proposals first would have to be posted on the Education Department website and go through a public-comment period before the state Board of Education could vote on them. Rules changes require approval from the board, the Legislature and the governor.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: See Ryan Walters' proposed rules on prayer, DEI for Oklahoma schools