Far-Right Oklahoma Schools Chief Faces New Scrutiny

September 12, 2024 Christianists, Extremists

Oklahoma City’s Fox affiliate reports:

Dozens of trips, all across the country, were paid for with your tax dollars that were meant for public education. Our previous reporting revealed you’re paying a $60,000 contract to help promote State Superintendent Ryan Walters on the national stage.

But that’s not all. We poured through travel records to find out what else you’re paying for and how much.

Looking at records we obtained through Open Records requests, we calculated at least $27,262.58 in airfare, hotels, car rentals, meals, and more for Walters and his top Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) staff. Many of them were to amplify the state superintendent’s political message.

Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate reports:

A federal judge is demanding Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters and Oklahoma State Board of Education (OSBE) members give him a documented explanation about why they voted to revoke former Norman teacher Summer Boismier’s teaching certificate.

Walters and Oklahoma State Board of Education members voted unanimously to revoke Boismier’s teaching certificate at their meeting on August 22.

The issue stems back to 2021, when someone filed a complaint against Boismier after she shared a link to a public library’s website in her Norman classroom. In 2023, Walters and the state school board filed an application to revoke her certificate, claiming she violated the state’s so-called anti critical race theory law, House Bill 1775, by sharing the link.

The Oklahoman reports:

An investigation into concerns over Oklahoma State Department of Education spending will focus on a handful of key issues that have come under fire from state lawmakers.  Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, said he wanted to wrap up the investigation by late October.

Wallace first called for the investigation in mid-August, saying he was responding to concerns raised by both citizens and legislators about state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters’ administration of the education department.

School administrators also voiced concerns about delays receiving federal funds and other money earmarked for specific purposes. Rep. Kevin Wallace, left, and Sen. Roger Thompson lead a Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency oversight committee meeting at the state Capitol Wednesday.

Last month around two dozen GOP lawmakers signed a letter calling for an impeachment probe into Walters.



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