TULSA, Okla. — State Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore) is Chair of the Oklahoma House Education Appropriations and Budgeting Subcommittee.
He elaborated to 2 News Wednesday via Zoom about numerous concerns and requests directed to State Superintendent Ryan Walters' office he said went unanswered, which he said forced him to order Walters to comply with a subpoena or face contempt charges and possible impeachment.
Watch the full interview here:
McBride said he's never experienced unprofessionalism and tension from an education official like he's seen from Walters.
He said he sought information for months to back up Walters' claims of record-breaking teacher applications in the state, $2 million in state expenses for education software, and emails belonging to Walters' "Every Kid Counts" nonprofit group's email address from after he was elected to his position.
"(Walters) claimed that they hired 950 teachers," McBride said. "(Or) they had 950 applications, whichever it was. How many teachers applied for an interview? He claimed they came from different states. So what states? How many were certified? What school districts did they go to go to? And what subject did they teach? I mean, those are just legitimate questions that I have. I mean, this is amazing if this really happened."
But more than a week after the Nov. 27 deadline to submit the items, McBride said he got a letter from Texas-based OSDE Senior Advisor Matt Langston.
"We did get a sarcastic note slid under my door from his staff or there at the agency," the representative said. "And this was the response I got. 'Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on me.' I don't even really know what that means."
"It tells me that there's a lack of respect for the legislature and the legislative process," McBride added. "That we've got an agency head and agency that's more interested in using our students in Oklahoma as political pawns rather than doing their job at hand."
2 News also spoke Wednesday with LeeAnne Jimenez from Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, who said she looks forward to seeing answers from Walters. "I want to see the transparency and the focus on results that he has asked of our district to have for our students," Jimenez said. "He represents the 700,000 students in the state and he should be doing right by all of them."
2 News reached out to Walters' office multiple times Tuesday and Wednesday for an interview about the missed deadline, the subpoena, and the letter Rep. McBride said he received under his door.
2 News did not get a response, but Walters did post a social media video vaguely addressing the lawmakers.
"Unfortunately there are those in my own party, the Republican party, who have come out and taken the teachers unions' 30 pieces of silver and go out and defend the teachers union, fighting against parents. I will never back down to those in my own party who advance the teachers unions' attack on parents," Walters said in the X (formerly known as Twitter) video.
A statement from Walters' office was also sent late Wednesday afternoon.
"Instead of worrying about staff, McBride should be more worried about his representing teachers unions and caucusing with democrats. If he is going to represent them, he might as well switch parties. McBride should join Superintendent Walters in the fight to keep porn out of schools, end union leadership, and end DEI to better serve Oklahomans."
Walters, who announced plans to "ban DEI in Oklahoma public schools" in Thursday's State Board of Education meeting, has two weeks to officially respond to the House Education Committee's subpoena.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
