OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma House Democrats are calling on the Speaker of the House to create a special committee to investigate State Superintendent Ryan Walters' job performance.
The request comes after recent bomb threats to Tulsa schools and surrounding districts. The House Democrats said they believe recent bomb threats have contained similar rhetoric linked to Walters' beliefs about Tulsa Public Schools.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater said, “Oklahomans deserve a public school system where parents, students and teachers feel safe to go to school and the needs of our students are prioritized over dangerous political rhetoric.”
The representatives in support said that Walters has publicly put the safety of students in jeopardy due to his harmful statements about TPS.
“The rhetoric from the state superintendent has, up until now, been designed to distract and sow chaos. But now, elementary schools in the Tulsa area have received bomb threats as a result of disinformation shared by him. Our children deserve to be safe. The willful neglect of that duty, even in the highest offices in our state, cannot and will not be overlooked. Enough is enough,” Rep. Provenzano added.
The Oklahoma State Senate Democrats have shared their support for the calls for an investigation into Walters sharing this statement from Democratic Leader Sen. Kay Floyd:
On Aug. 25, Oklahoma Speaker of the House Charles McCall condemned the bomb threats to schools and businesses and asked leaders to stop using schools for political activism.
First and foremost, I want to condemn the bomb threats leveled against multiple public schools here in Oklahoma this week. Violence, and threats of violence, whether a hoax or legitimate, against our students are completely unacceptable and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Secondly, I would like to see the political activism surrounding education eliminated, and more targeted action plans focused on raising test scores and increasing education outcomes for our students. Recently, it seems as if 5% of the people are stirring up controversy, while the other 95% just want to see our kids get better test scores and succeed in the classroom.
Oklahoma classrooms should not be laboratories for political activism, they should be places where our kids go to learn the basic education skills needed to succeed. In the same way, Oklahoma’s elected leaders should not be adding fuel to the fires of controversy, we should be focused on making sure our kids are getting a good education, and our educational outcomes are improving.
Oklahoma’s education ranking is among the lowest in the country for a number of reasons, and that ranking isn’t going to change if we are constantly engaged in a political battle of wills. We must get the focus back on student outcomes, and away from political rhetoric.
I’m calling on all involved parties to end the rhetoric and do better for the children of Oklahoma.
2 News reached out to Walters' office and received this statement:
"These liberal Democrats will stop at nothing to defend their union bosses and push a radical agenda on our kids. In seeking to remove a popularly elected constitutional officer, they represent a direct threat to our democracy. It’s shameful, and Oklahomans won’t be fooled. Superintendent Walters is fighting to ensure Oklahoma parents have a place at the table and Oklahoma kids have a brighter future."
House Democrats are now waiting for a response from Speaker McCall.
This is a developing story.
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