It is now two years after the passage of Oklahoma’s so-called “anti-Critical Race Theory” law, HB1775, and the harm is very real. It is not often in the daily media because the harm is not apparent to those outside the daily experience of public education. #oklaed (1/4)
The harm is missing history, untold stories. The harm is timid teaching. The harm is honest classroom conversations cut short by job insecurity. The harm is education equity questions with no professional answers. #oklaed (2/4)
The harm is a vacuum where once there was racial healing built into faculty meetings. The harm is student efforts in racial equity going unrecognized and uncelebrated. The harm is a visible weight on the shoulders of Black educators and students alike. #oklaed (3/4)
The harm is White Supremacy emboldened and vocalized at school. The harm is racist progress. #oklaed (4/4)
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If I get shot at school,
don’t call the shooter evil,
don’t ask, “Why?”
don’t say it was a “senseless tragedy.”
If I get shot at school,
don’t ask “How could this happen?”
don’t say there was “no good reason.”
If I get shot at school,
don’t call me a hero.
(1/6)
If I get shot at school,
know that your thoughts are meaningless,
save your prayers for the rain,
say that the guns took my life.
If I get shot at school,
open the casket and post pictures of my mutilated body,
(2/6)
tell everyone that I knew this was going to happen.
If I get shot at school,
know that I was glad I did not have a gun.
(3/6)
I have consumed a lot of Ryan Walters media in the last 2.5 years. Here is one thing I have learned: Ryan Walters does not talk about Black people and does not acknowledge African American existence. This is alarming, and I would very much like to be proven wrong. #oklaed 🧵
Here is what you can find rather quickly. A video surfaced in 2022 of Ryan Walters teaching a virtual lesson where he referenced internalized racism as part of a lesson on Brown v. Board. The video is from 2020. kfor.com/news/local/okl…
Ryan Walters certainly talked about Black people when he taught history, but in the interview defending his lesson, he does not. I believe this is calculated. I believe this omission is designed to erase the Black Oklahoman experience from the narrative.
“Groomer” is a serious accusation that I will not level at Oklahoma elected leaders. Legislation targeting 2SLGBTQ+ is not “grooming” and neither is supporting and affirming 2SLGBTQ+ students. Statements claiming otherwise are disingenuous. #oklaed 🧵
Supt. Ryan Walters, Sen. David Bullard, Sen. Shane Jett, Sen. Nathan Dahm, and others have been and are continuing to actively harm 2SLGBTQ+ students and their families. Recent state legislation has put the very lives of young Oklahomans at risk. #oklaed
SB129, authored by Bullard, has been named The Millstone Act of 2023. This reference is Bullard’s claim that providing transgender youth with proven gender affirming healthcare is “causing a little one to stumble.” #oklaed
Proposed language for new Oklahoma legislation in response to HB1775 - “A teacher, administrator or other employee of a school district, charter school or virtual charter school may make part of a course the following concepts:” 🧵
“A. talking about race is not racist, B. implicit bias is real and everyone has it, C. equal rights for others does not mean less rights for you, D. race is a real, lived experience and should always be regarded,”
“E. everyone has a racial identity, F. the history of race continues to be written today, G. conversations about race are difficult and can lead to discomfort, H. opportunities to succeed continue to be distributed unequally across racial groups.”
I teach high school in Oklahoma. I am faculty advisor for our Gender and Sexuality Alliance. I have written extensively about diversity, equity, and inclusion in Oklahoma public schools. I am passionate about student democracy and increasing student voice. 🧵
I openly declare that trans girls are girls and that Black Lives Matter. I teach African American History through an antiracist lens.
I am a proud union member. I am a registered “independent” voter. I am a formerly ordained Christian minister. I hold a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. I am an award winning teacher and activist. I am an adjunct university professor.