I am a high school social studies teacher in Oklahoma. Here are ten things I will NEVER teach my students:
1. The United States is the greatest nation in the history of the world.
2. American slavery represents a net benefit to Black Americans.
A 🧵 (1/5) #oklaed Things I will NEVER teach my students (cont.):
3. The United States was formed as a Christian nation.
4. Color blindness is a proper 21st Century interpretation of Dr. King’s Dream.
5. The potential of the U.S. is limited to the intentions of the founding fathers.
(2/5) #oklaed

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)

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)

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…

“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

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,”

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.