Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Oklahoma State Board of Education approves social studies standards incorporating election denial claims — The Oklahoma State Board of Education approved revised social studies standards in February 2025 that direct high school teachers to present discredited 2020 election conspiracy theories—including claims about ballot-counting halts, mail-in voting risks, and "bellwether county" anomalies—as legitimate topics for student debate. The standards, championed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters and developed with input from far-right figures including Kevin Roberts (Heritage Foundation) and Dennis Prager (PragerU), will take effect in fall 2025. Teachers report concern about pressure to teach election falsehoods despite overwhelming judicial and DOJ refutation.
• Oklahoma Superintendent Walters approves social studies curriculum including 2020 election fraud claims — Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters approved a new social studies curriculum for the 2025-26 school year that requires high school students to "analyze" debunked claims about the 2020 election, including allegations of ballot-counting halts, mail-in voting fraud, and "batch dumps." The curriculum presents these claims as legitimate concerns without labeling them as conspiracy theories. The State Board of Education approved the standards in February after Walters provided them to board members only 4 p.m. the day before a 9:30 a.m. meeting, preventing adequate review of the 400-page document. Multiple board members later stated they did not realize the standards differed from earlier versions and called Walters' tactics a "breach of trust."
• Walters withheld curriculum changes from State Board members until day before vote — Ryan Walters did not send the new social studies standards with his additions to State Board of Education members until 4 p.m. the day before the board's 9:30 a.m. meeting, preventing adequate review of the approximately 400-page document. The email "subtly indicate[d]" updates had been made but provided no specifics. During the meeting, Walters did not mention specific changes. When board member Chris VanDenhende later requested documents noting the changes, Walters called the request "irrelevant." Board member Ryan Deatherage asked to delay the vote, but Walters pressured the board to vote that day, citing a legislative time crunch that did not exist—the board had until April to approve the standards.