A social media post made by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has sparked confusion and frustration among parents who see a potential change in the state’s graduation requirements as forcing their children into the military or careers if they do not attend college.
Oklahoma has no such law or initiative, but commentary on comments made by the governor led to widespread speculation online.
On Dec. 27, Stitt shared a post on social media titled “Classroom to Careers” that detailed four elements of education in Oklahoma that were addressed over 2024, including high school graduation requirements and credit for CareerTech programs.
In the caption of the post, the governor said Oklahoma is “turning classrooms into career launchpads,” and that “we want to prepare every student for success in the workforce.”
Over the weekend, the governor drew backlash as parents and educators read Stitt’s comments as potentially requiring students to be accepted into college, a trade school or join the military in order to graduate.
These fears appear to stem from Stitt’s subsequent comments about the post to news outlets, where he listed the three pathways as strong options for Oklahoma students post-graduation.
Oklahoma does not have a law forcing college, CareerTech, or military attendance on high school students to graduate.
Later, Stitt’s office clarified to Fox25 that the comments made were ideas, not an initiative or plan.
The governor’s office has not responded to The Oklahoman’s request for comment on Stitt’s intentions for the post or potential education initiatives.
More: More Oklahoma college students are earning degrees. Here’s a look behind the numbers
What are parents saying?
In response to Stitt’s initial post on Friday, several families took to social media to express the importance of flexibility in their children’s futures.
Many note that children with learning or intellectual disabilities may not be suited to any of the three choices. Others feared that restricting graduates to college, military or technical programs would hinder artists or musicians seeking to join the workforce in their own way.
“How about letting students and their families decide what is best for them,” one Facebook commenter said.
What are Oklahoma’s new high school graduation requirements?
Oklahoma legislators passed, and Stitt approved, several graduation requirement bills in 2024. None of them force students to exclusively follow one of three pathways, but many of the measures are aimed at expanding the CareerTech footprint within Oklahoma schools.
House Bill 3278 requires a school district’s board of education to establish pathway units and modify graduation curriculum requirements. This bill ultimately changed the graduation requirements by aligning a student’s course with their Individualized Career and Academic Plan, allowing them to take more classes toward a certain career.
In addition to graduation requirements, there was a specific focus on preparing students with financial literacy. The Oklahoma Legislature recently passed HB 2158, which supports this portion by adding a list of topics that can be taught in schools’ financial literacy classes.
Is this linked to Project 2025?
It’s unclear, but unlikely.
Many on social media were quick to claim that a graduation requirement forcing students to join the military reflected a sentiment shared in Project 2025, an initiative launched by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation for the next conservative president to transform the federal government.
In a section on improving military recruiting and retention, Project 2025 recommends requiring all students in schools that receive federal funding to take the military entrance exam – Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma graduation requirements post sparks ire: What to know