OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The State House of Representatives subpoenaed Superintendent Ryan Walters after some questions about the State Department of Education's spending were left unanswered.
On Nov. 15, the House sent questions and requests to Walters, setting a deadline of Nov. 27 for all inquiries.
The requests spanned three main topics, including staffing, funding, and emails.
During an interview, Walters claimed 950 out-of-state teachers applied to work in Oklahoma. The House requested copies of the applications, plus specific questions about the teachers' history, including work history and certification status.
An additional request by the House said it wants updates on a Metric Software purchased by the OSDE. The department spent $2 million on the software suite that provides enhanced tools to support educators and students. The House wants proof the software is being utilized in schools.
Walters was asked to provide copies of all emails sent to his former nonprofit email address to the House. Walters previously worked at the nonprofit Every Kid Counts Oklahoma, but resigned prior to his inauguration.
2 News NBC affiliate KFOR in Oklahoma City obtained the subpoena.
Read the subpoena documents here.
Senior Advisor Matt Langston responded to the subpoena, sharing his frustrations towards Representative Mark McBride.
Representative McBride has repeatedly lied about Superintendent Walters and the State Department of Education. He has made up false narratives and has yet to show a serious effort to improve education in Oklahoma. All Oklahomans should question his political and ideological stances. Representative McBride actively works with Democrats and teachers unions to undermine Superintendent Walters' and Oklahomans' conservative policies.
Chair for Appropriations Subcommittee on Education Representative Mark McBride signed the subpoena. In a statement, McBride said after multiple attempts to communicate with Walters, he and other legislatures agreed the subpoena was the next step.
McBride mentioned unprofessional conduct as part of the barriers in communicating with Walters.
He said Walters' Senior Advisor Matt Langston slipped this note under his door:
Read McBride's full statement:
As the branch of government charged with appropriations and oversight, the Legislature has a responsibility to make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent properly by the agencies and departments under its purview. Myself, and many of my legislative colleagues, have repeatedly tried to communicate with the superintendent and his staff about these important issues. With the amount of tax dollars being spent by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), legislative oversight of this spending is crucial. We have tried to work with the Superintendent, like we do with all state agencies, but have been met with a lack of transparency and increasingly unprofessional conduct. As Chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee, I am constitutionally bound to ask questions, and statutorily entitled to have them answered, of the leadership of the legislatively appropriated OSDE. As those questions have not been answered, and no voluntary answer is forthcoming, I have exercised my power as Chairman to subpoena the superintendent to produce the records and communications requested by the committee. Where taxpayer money is concerned we must be diligent. The time for playing political games is over, and the time for answers is at hand. My focus is, and always will be, doing what is best for the children of Oklahoma, and the only way we can do that as a Legislature is to get basic questions answered properly. I look forward to reviewing the subpoenaed documents, and their timely delivery to my office.
On Wednesday 2 News interviewed McBride. Watch the full interview here:
Walters must respond to the subpoena in two weeks. He is scheduled to testify in front of the House on Jan. 5.
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