Oklahoma follows Florida in allowing PragerU in schools
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Oklahoma announced Tuesday it would be allowing materials from the conservative education platform PragerU in its public schools, following the same move from Florida earlier this summer.
Ryan Walters, the state superintendent of public instruction, said he is “thrilled” to be partnering with the platform founded by right-wing talk show host Dennis Prager and Allen Estrin back in 2009.
“This expansion of our available resources will help ensure high-quality materials rich in American history and values will be available to our teachers and students,” Walters said in a statement.
“We will work together to find ways for PragerU to create content that will enrich the education of Oklahoma students,” he added.
PragerU has become popular among Republicans for its short videos on hot topic issues, with the platform saying it is “a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education.”
Some of the platform’s most popular five-minute videos include “Is Islam a Religion of Peace?” and “Make Men Masculine Again.”
Critics say PragerU spreads misinformation about topics such as climate change.
“Kids are told to fight climate change but are rarely taught about the human cost of reducing emissions,” reads the description of one offering. “This animated video teaches middle and high school students about energy and the environment through the eyes of young Ania living in Poland, who must face a devastating winter after the Polish government bans the use of coal.”
Oklahoma is the second state to allow PragerU in schools after Florida in July approved the material as “supplemental curriculum,” meaning the videos are not required to be used but teachers will not be penalized for showing them.
“The state of Florida just announced that we are becoming an official vendor,” CEO Marissa Streit said at the time. “This means if you are a teacher in Florida you can not be fired for using PragerU content.”
Texas is also looking at adopting PragerU’s kids platform but has received pushback from educators and has not yet announced an official decision.
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