Oklahoma Superintendent Raises Concerns Over CCP-Linked Confucius Institute Influence in Schools

In a recent development, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has sounded the alarm over what appears to be an attempt by sympathizers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence students in his state’s public schools.

The concern stems from a July report released by Parents Defending Education (PDE), an organization dedicated to safeguarding educational standards. The report unveiled a series of partnerships between various U.S. public school boards and the CCP-affiliated Confucius Institute. According to PDE, these partnerships had seen the Confucius Institute contribute a substantial $17.9 million to 143 U.S. school districts between 2009 and 2023. While several Confucius Institute collaborations have come under scrutiny and been terminated, the PDE report highlighted that certain school districts, including Tulsa Public Schools, continued their engagements with the CCP-aligned program.

On August 2, Superintendent Walters drew attention to the Confucius Institute’s partnership with Tulsa Public Schools through a video post on a social media platform. He voiced his concerns, stating, “We found out that our biggest school district, which is also our poorest performing district, Tulsa Public Schools, was taking money from the Communist Party in China to teach these Confucius Institutes.” Walters elaborated on these allegations during an interview with NTD News’ “Capitol Report.”

The PDE report specifically alleges that the Confucius Institute indirectly funds Tulsa schools through a third-party organization, the International Leadership of Texas Global. Walters expressed his concerns about this arrangement, stating, “They have been funneling this money through a nonprofit to have schools teach about Chinese government and Chinese history, and they literally censor the content. They tell the schools they can only teach certain aspects of it, and it is this view that in communist China, there are no problems there and it’s this great form of government.”

According to NTD News, they reached out to both the Confucius Institute and the International Leadership of Texas Global for comments, but neither organization responded by the time of this article’s publication.

Superintendent Walters credited former President Donald Trump for taking steps to counter the influence of the Confucius Institute in the United States. In August 2020, while President Trump was in office, the U.S. State Department designated the Chinese organization as a foreign mission of the Chinese regime. Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo explained that this decision aimed to protect U.S. students and ensure that their Chinese language and cultural studies remained “free from the manipulation of the Chinese Communist Party and its proxies.”

However, Walters noted that the pressure on the Confucius Institute has lessened in recent years, allowing partnerships such as the one with Tulsa Public Schools to persist. He expressed determination to put an end to these arrangements, saying, “We are going to put an end to this.” Walters revealed that he has required the school district to disclose all materials and funding received through the program and has taken measures to prevent the Confucius Institute from financing partnership programs through third-party organizations.

Furthermore, Walters advocated for legislation to enhance transparency in schools regarding their curriculum and funding sources. He emphasized the need for greater transparency and accountability, especially in light of concerns about critical race theory and radical gender ideology entering the educational sphere. Walters highlighted the importance of involving parents in monitoring and understanding what is being taught in schools, expressing concern that schools often resist such involvement.

The situation continues to evolve as Oklahoma authorities work to address these concerns and ensure the integrity of the education system in the state.