TULSA, Okla. — It has been a roller coaster year of emotion in Oklahoma education—one that prompted news outlets across the nation to dub State Superintendent Ryan Walters a “culture warrior.”
Within days of being sworn into office, Walters ordered an investigation into two teachers, claiming they were indoctrinating students. His announcement, via Twitter from his car, prompted former teacher Summer Boismier to sue, citing defamation, slander among other claims.
Only a month later, Representative Mark McBridge filed legislation aiming to reduce Walters’ power.
“I want to put this gentleman in a box,” Rep. McBride said in February. “I hate to be that blunt, but we have got to focus on public education and not his crazy destruction of public education.”
Neither of McBride’s two bills passed and more attempts are expected when the legislature convenes in 2024.
Over the last year, the Oklahoma Board of Education, upon suggestions from Walters, voted to approve several emergency rules—including requirements on reporting on pronoun policies and funding from foreign governments. It also refused to change two genders on school records, despite a judge’s order. That prompted another lawsuit.
In April, Walters announced a plan to tackle the teacher shortage with large signing bonuses. He claimed up to 950 teachers applied. House members issued a subpoena for proof of that number and those application copies. Walters has two weeks to respond to the subpoena.
However, McBride got a letter slipped under the door of his office from Walters’ Senior Advisor, Matt Langston.
“And this was the response I got,” he said. “’Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’ I don’t even know what that means.’”
Walters was poised to simultaneously serve as Secretary of Education and State Superintendent until Governor Kevin Stitt was pressured to remove him from serving in two roles.
His replacement, Dr. Katherine Curry, left after three months. She cited the political environment.
More lawsuits came in May when two employees cited wrongful termination for giving public documents to the media.
“Public office means you’re working for the public,” their attorney at the time told 2News.
Walters made waves when pressured about whether he applied for nearly $300 million in federal funds. It was during a House Committee meeting and instead of answering, he turned to anti-teacher union rhetoric.
“I don’t negotiate with the teachers union,” he said. “They are a terrorist organization.”
The grant writer for the OSDE resigned over the summer as well. She claimed Walters refused to sign off on grants and took a job elsewhere.
Meetings began to get more packed and more heated.
“Surely as a dad you know how dangerous it is to call teachers terrorists,” one parent said during public comment. “It is so dangerous.”
Two men got charged with disturbing state business—one of them had an additional assault charge—after one meeting. The charges stemmed from a scuffle outside the boardroom when the men were allegedly blocking the entryway and picking who went inside.
Then, State Auditor Cyndi Byrd announced hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable spending during the pandemic when Walters was Secretary of Education. That issue is now part of an investigative audit.
A rally in Tulsa was prompted by a prayer debacle at a graduation ceremony—but quickly turned into Walters’ hyperfocus on the district’s academic improvements.
Ultimately, under pressure, Dr. Deborah Gist resigned as TPS Superintendent and was replaced by Dr. Ebony Johnson.
TPS continues to hold monthly progress reports to the state board—as Walters has threatened that the district must improve outcomes quickly while hinting at a state takeover.
Other divisive decisions in 2023 include teaming up with PragerU, a conservative platform for students, and the approval of the nation’s first religious charter school, St. Isidore of Seville.
St. Isidore was ultimately approved by the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board but Walters and the OSDE is included in a lawsuit fighting the school from opening.
Overall, Walters or the OSDE or board have been the subject of at least nine lawsuits this year.
There have been two calls to investigate possible impeachment charges by House Democrats—but with little pull in the state legislature, nothing has come of it.
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