For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Angela Allmond, Communications Director
Oklahoma Democratic Party
angela@okdemocrats.org

Oklahoma Republican Lawmakers’ Fascist Anti-Education Agenda is Dangerous to Our Children’s Future

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, JANUARY 26, 2022 – The assault on education with the series of bills introduced by Oklahoma Republicans is a power grab for money, control, attention, and demonstrates fear of intellectual understanding. Republicans fear a knowledgeable population and are unconcerned about the dangerous impact on our children’s lives. They care only about themselves, their re-election, and an alt-right agenda.

“We have another series of anti-education bills dirtying up the legislature this session like SB1442 attempting to remove social-emotional-learning from the classroom, SB1174 to prevent the discussion on current events or controversial issues of public policy or social affairs. Then there is HB2988 prohibiting certain concepts being taught on American slavery, and SB1142’s school district-wide book banning by a single parent on topics that address sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, and criminalizing our teachers and librarians. One single parent should not be given this level of control, let alone school-district-wide censorship,” stated Scott J. Hamilton, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Democratic Party

“The aggressive attack on education by lawmakers not trained in childhood development or education is purely for power, control, and making headlines. They are hiding behind a false narrative, hoping Oklahomans don’t understand. Our children are the ultimate sacrifice in this culture war, and we don’t seem to have learned anything over the past 100 years when evolution was the boogeyman issue in the 1920s. Crying “Critical Race Theory,” a concept not taught in Oklahoma schools, and pushing the alarm on discussions about sex and gender identity are today’s evolution and science panic. It demonstrates how ignorance and stupidity continue to this very day,” continued Hamilton.

“Oklahoma Republicans are pushing a sham panic button for political points — weaponizing ridiculous bills to pander to their base and further their anti-education movement out of fear. Oklahomans should see through Republicans’ attempts at ruining our educational system. We all should be very concerned with this alt-right agenda restricting our children from learning facts, the truth, and having open discussions on diverse topics. Oklahoma depends on a well-rounded and diverse education for our children.

###

For more information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party, visit the party website at okdemocrats.org, or call party headquarters at 405-427-3366.