OKLA SSPI RYAN WALTERS SAYS TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE LINKED TO CHINESE COMMUNIST
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters recently made headlines with his outlandish claim that Tulsa Public Schools are linked to the Chinese Communist Party. In a video posted on Twitter, Walters alleged that TPS was receiving money from the Chinese government to "undermine our United States government, our country." However, upon closer inspection, it seems that Walters' claims are about as credible as a unicorn sighting.
Firstly, let's address the elephant in the room - why on earth would the Chinese government want to fund a school district in Tulsa, Oklahoma? Are they secretly plotting to take over the Sooner State? Do they have a particular interest in the education of American children? Or are they just feeling generous and want to throw some cash around? We may never know.
Walters' claims are based on the fact that TPS once hosted a Confucius Classroom, a program sponsored by the Confucius Institute Headquarters. Now, I don't know about you, but when I think of Confucius, I don't exactly picture a mastermind of political subterfuge. Confucius was a philosopher who lived over two thousand years ago - not exactly the type of guy who's going to be plotting world domination from beyond the grave.
Furthermore, TPS ended its relationship with the Confucius Institute Headquarters in 2019, after the Trump administration issued an executive order banning federal funding for Confucius Institutes. So even if there was some nefarious plot afoot, it seems that TPS is no longer involved.
Walters' claims about TPS being linked to the Chinese Communist Party are also unfounded. The Confucius Institute Headquarters is not a government agency, and it does not have any official ties to the Chinese Communist Party. In fact, the organization's mission is to promote Chinese language and culture - not exactly the stuff of espionage.
But perhaps the most damning evidence against Walters' claims is the fact that there is no evidence to support them. TPS officials have denied receiving any money from the Chinese government, and there is no line item for Chinese government funding in the district's budget. It seems that Walters' allegations are based on nothing more than speculation and innuendo.
Of course, it's possible that Walters is simply mistaken about the facts. Or maybe he's just trying to drum up some attention for himself - after all, controversy is a great way to get your name in the news. But regardless of his motives, it's clear that his claims about TPS are about as credible as a Loch Ness Monster sighting.
So what can we learn from all this? Well, for starters, we should be wary of baseless accusations and conspiracy theories. Just because someone says something doesn't make it true - especially if they provide no evidence to back it up. And secondly, we should never underestimate the power of a good laugh. In these uncertain times, sometimes all we can do is sit back, relax, and enjoy a good chuckle at the expense of those who take themselves too seriously.
Tulsa Public Schools denies Walters' Chinese funding claims https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/tulsa-public-schools-denies-ryan-walters-chinese-funding-claims/article_3c563a10-3233-11ee-ba62-23d31ca63b50.html
Walters grants interview about Tulsa Public Schools https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/walters-zeroes-in-on-poor-leadership-chronically-low-academic-outcomes-at-tps/article_10f79094-3247-11ee-aabf-5fe3f5701261.html