Walters outlines how Oklahoma schools should teach Israel-Iran War

State Superintendent Ryan Walters released a statement Tuesday morning, saying Oklahoma school districts are being instructed on how to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran with students.

Walters said in the statement that universities, educational materials and curriculum in other states have "grossly distorted much of what is happening in the Middle East." He expanded on this statement in a memo he sent out to school districts.

"The recent controversy in New York where a Regents Exam study guide described Zionism as a 'colonial' movement and included misleading references to terrorism serves as a staunch reminder that there exists ideology and educational materials not only distort historical fact but risk promoting ideologies that are inconsistent with Oklahoma values," Walters said in the memo.

The memo stated that the 2025 Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies ensures the instruction on Israel is "historically grounded and balanced." The standards mentioned in the memo are listed below.

Social Studies standards mentioned in memo

MWH.7.2 Evaluate ongoing regional disputes of the Middle East.

1. Describe the creation of the modern State of Israel, including the rationale for its establishment, the Zionist movement, and increased migration of European Jews to the British Mandate for Palestine.
2. Explain how the attack by Arab states on Israel in 1948 unfolded and how the United Nations’ partitioning of the Palestine Mandate created refugees and contributed to ongoing growing tensions (e.g., Six Day War, Yom Kippur War).
3. Examine the roots of the ongoing regional instability of the Middle East, including the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, the Iranian Revolution and its establishment of a theocracy, the Iran-Iraq conflict, and the invasion of Kuwait.

USH.8.1 Evaluate the foreign and domestic policies, as well as the legacy of President Jimmy Carter.

1. Examine the lack of activity, growth, and economic development known as "stagflation” challenging the Carter administration.
2. Describe the negotiation of the Camp David Accords leading to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.
3. Explain reaction to the OPEC oil embargo and issuance of the Carter Doctrine regarding national interests in the Persian Gulf.
4. Evaluate the impact of the diplomatic standoff of the Iran Hostage Crisis and the failed rescue mission.
5. Describe the legacy of public service exemplified by President Carter’s post-public service humanitarian efforts.

The statement also mentioned the History of 20th Century Totalitarianism Course Standards section, which is included in pages 154-163 of the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies attached below.

Walters ended the memo by calling on all districts to review their instructional materials and make sure they align with the recently adopted standards. He said the State Department of Education is ready to help guide and assist educators with these standards.

Full memo from Superintendent Walters

Dear Oklahoma Educators,

The tragic events of October 7, 2023 — when Hamas militants launched a brutal surprise attack on Israeli civilians, killing over 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage — marked a turning point in modern Middle Eastern history. This massacre, widely condemned as one of the deadliest attacks on Jews since the Holocaust, ignited a broader regional conflict that now includes direct hostilities between Israel and Iran. In recent weeks, Israel has launched preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while Iran has retaliated with ballistic missile attacks, including strikes near civilian hospitals.

These developments are not just headlines, they are history in the making and highlight the urgent need for educators to present global conflicts with clarity, accuracy, and moral responsibility.

In Oklahoma, we are committed to ensuring that our students receive a fact-based education free from ideological bias. The newly adopted 2025 Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies reflect this commitment by requiring instruction grounded in primary sources and historical evidence and guarding against antisemitic or politicized narratives in the classroom. The following standards are especially relevant, as they ensure that instruction on Israel is historically grounded and balanced: Modern World History Standard 7.2, United States History Standard 8.1, and History of 20th Century Totalitarianism Course Standards: 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 recent controversy in New York where a Regents Exam study guide described Zionism as a “colonial” movement and included misleading references to terrorism serves as a staunch reminder that there exists ideology and educational materials not only distort historical fact but risk promoting ideologies that are inconsistent with Oklahoma values. Oklahoma’s standards are designed to prevent this by setting clear expectations for content accuracy and instructional integrity.

As Superintendent Ryan Walters has affirmed, “Oklahoma kids will be taught facts, not indoctrination.” That means presenting the history of Israel and their 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.

We urge all districts to review their instructional materials and professional development programs to ensure alignment with the 2025 standards. The Oklahoma State Department of Education stands ready to provide guidance, resources, and any other assistance needed.

For Oklahoma,

Superintendent Ryan Walters