OKLVHOMV CITY, Oklv.- Current state legislation is aiming to change Oklahoma high school minimum graduation requirements. The changes have been characterized by its sponsors, Representative Rhonda Baker (R-Yukon) and Senator Adam Pugh (R-Edmond), as increasing course choice and career preparation.
House Bill 3278 changes the current three unit math requirement to four units. The bill also adds a personal financial literacy course requirement and opens up more avenues for technical and trade education by accepting real-world application courses.
The foreign language requirement has been eliminated, giving students the choice between a unit of foreign language instruction or computer science. One year of fine arts is also not a requirement and is optional for districts to implement.
Oklahoma tribal leaders have reacted to the elimination of the language requirement.
In a statement made to Facebook, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill stated that the bill would decrease educational choice and has the potential to effectively wipe out Native language course offerings. Hill stated, “This bill, if passed, would be devastating to Native language and eliminate options for students to enrich their education through courses in public schools. It would be a crippling step backwards and undo the years and years of work that our Native language speakers and teachers have dedicated to bringing Indigenous language education into Oklahoma schools. This bill will make it easier for schools to eliminate language courses and effectively eliminate the History of tribes while promoting a single universal language of choice… Our native languages are the soundtrack of the very land that these schools sit on, in fact, many of them take their names from Indigenous language. Language education is vital and vibrant and needs our support.”
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskins, Jr. stated, “The Cherokee Nation is a strong advocate for advancing science and math education within our state, yet this should not come at the expense of language studies… Maintaining a world language requirement not only fosters a diverse educational experience but also directly supports the learning of Native languages.”
The bill originally passed the house with a vote of 95-2 on March 13. It passed the Senate 35-11 on April 22 and was sent to the house with amendments. The bill passed the house with a final vote of 73-14 on May 9. If signed by Governor Stitt, new requirements will start with those entering 8th grade during the 2025-26 school year.
If you add a 4th year of math, you better add some math courses that are NOT advanced math. For small schools, algebra 1 and 2, geometry and trigonometry are the only 4 math courses offered at the high school level. There is no way all students can take trigonometry just as there is no way all students can hit the benchmark math score of 22 on the ACT.
Governor Stitt is the absolutely worst governor the state of Oklahoma has ever had. He cares nothing about the first Americans and preservation and importance of the tribal relationships in our state. And, he cares nothing about women’s health care; he and his Christian nationalist cronies espouse “pro life views” while they make laws that kill real life, breathing human women who are living their actual lives becauseit is their female gender that limits access to health care in the most vulnerable of times during a pregnancy, rape or incest. Governor Stitt is a corrupt, murdering, racist, misogynistic, fascist!!!!
I hate to admit but I have to agree and I thought Mary Fallon was the worst thing that had ever happened to the state of Oklahoma but Kevin Stitt proves other wise DAILY.
So kids have less of a chance graduating and entering the work force…?