Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt approved rules Friday that would allow for downgrading the accreditation of Oklahoma schools found to have “sexualized” materials in their libraries, the Tulsa World reported.
Ryan Walters, the state’s elected state school superintendent, had sought the rules as part of the far-right agenda he rode to victory last November. Among his claims to fame: Having repeated an urban legend about schoolchildren identifying as cats and demanding to use kitty litter,” the Huffington Post reported at the time.
“Stitt's decision marks a victory for Ryan Walters, who pushed agency rules that will allow the State Board of Education to downgrade the accreditation status of schools whose libraries contain explicit materials or 'sexualized content' and allow parents to review and object to sex education materials,” the Tulsa World reported.
“The latter rule will also require school employees to notify parents of any changes to their child's health, social or psychological development, including gender identity information, such as the pronouns the student uses at school.”
Walters praised the governor, who along with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) had endorsed his candidacy last year. Walters left no doubt as to what was motivating him to advance the new rules.
"These two rules that the Governor signed today provide teeth to my administration in our efforts to protect our parents and children from indoctrination by the Left," Walters said in a statement.
But as the World reported, legal challenges may await the rules.
“A formal opinion from Attorney General Gentner Drummond limiting the rulemaking power of the superintendent and the State Board of Education could open the door for someone to sue over the new education rules,” the newspaper reported.
“The opinion, requested by a GOP state lawmaker who has clashed with Walters, says the State Board of Education can adopt new agency rules only when directed to do so by the Oklahoma Legislature. Lawmakers did not direct Walters or the State Department of Education to pursue these new rules.”
As Raw Story reported last October, then-candidate Walters “vowed to force all teachers in the state to undergo what is being described as patriotic education" at a right-wing college in Michigan.
“What we have to have is true history taught in schools. Our kids need to know about the founding. They need to know this country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. They need to know about the constitution. They need to be inspired by heroes like George Washington."
