In an accompanying press release, Walters said there would be "zero tolerance for a liberal, pro-terrorist agenda."
In the memo, Walters instructed teachers to present the history of Israel and its "fight to rightly exist in the world, including the atrocities of the Holocaust and the current struggle with Iran, in a way that is historically grounded, intellectually honest and free from antisemitic bias."
Walters cited several new social studies standards for teachers to follow, which include the creation of Israel, the Zionist movement and World War II-era conflicts in the region.
"These standards provide essential context for understanding modern threats to Jewish communities and democratic nations and require students to think critically while ensuring the instruction of Israel is historically grounded and balanced," the memo reads.
He points to recent reports of a study guide from a New York school district that calls Zionism "extreme nationalism." Walters said materials like these are "inconsistent with Oklahoma values."
While the State Department of Education dictates the academic standards themselves, only school districts have the ability to decide how the standards will be taught and what materials to use.
The memo references 1,200 Israeli civilians killed on Oct. 7, 2023 from Hamas militants and Iran's ballistic missile attacks near hospitals. It does not reference the Palestinian death toll since Oct. 7 or Israeli attacks on Palestinian hospitals.
StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahoma's public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond.
Copyright 2025 KGOU
