Let’s Not Repeat Ryan Walters’ Mess with Next Superintendent
Former (it feels so good to type that word) State Superintendent Ryan Walters spent a lot of time and our tax dollars doing things to not help the students of Oklahoma. In fact, under his reign, Oklahoma dropped to dead last in education. Mr. Walters is moving on to become the CEO of a conservative teachers’ group that apparently hates teachers. I hope he’s as successful at that job as he was with his job as state superintendent. Even in leaving office, there’s a stink of incompetence trailing behind.
While I have no desire to go back over all the antics of his tenure, I do want to bring up something he did not long after he took office that sticks in my mind because I thought it was so odd and childish. It set the abrasive, combative tone that he carried through in everything he did. Do you remember when he dismantled the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame? He took down all the photos and plaques of successful Oklahoma educators lining the halls at the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). Needless to say, his photograph wasn’t on that wall, so maybe that got under his skin. Maybe he couldn’t stand walking down that long hallway, the eyes of educators who dedicated their lives to improving public education in Oklahoma boring into him. I’ve wondered off and on whether he destroyed those photographs, or what happened to them. Well, they’re back! Apparently, someone pulled them out of a supply closet and returned them to their rightful place.
Now that the Educators Hall of Fame has been righted, the interim superintendent, Lindel Fields, and his staff are busy trying to clean up the rest of the mess that Ryan Walters left.
I have to believe that most people see the value in having a strong, high-quality public-school system. Look what happened during COVID. Kids were struggling. Not just academically, but emotionally and socially. Parents were struggling to be ad hoc teachers. We recognized that public schools take care of our kids. Teachers are there, not just to educate, but to provide a safe space for all children.
Ryan Walters spent a lot of time trying to make schools unsafe for many children: immigrants, LBGTQ+ students, non-white students, non-Christian students (HIS brand of Christianity), students with disabilities. And he spent most of his time berating teachers and schools rather than building them up.
Lindel Fields’ team is sifting through the mess left behind by Mr. Walters. KFOR News 4 in Oklahoma City just reported that Walters gave federal COVID relief money to private schools that didn’t qualify for the funds. It may be money that the state has to pay back.
If you’d like to see an entire list of Mr. Walters’ misdeeds, go here: okappleseed.org/ryan-walters-gross-misconduct
I do wonder why the governor and the legislature let this go on. The only reason Mr. Walters isn’t here to do more harm is because he left of his own accord. I think some of his misdeeds were actually illegal, but I’m no lawyer. I can’t say for sure, but the legislature is full of attorneys. Now more time will be wasted in damage control when it could have been spent on improving our schools, supporting our teachers and helping our students.
Public schools are a common good. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying they are the most important institution for a healthy democracy. Ryan Walters wanted to destroy public education. If public officials, especially individuals running for office, say they don’t like public education, then what becomes of the children in America? Are private schools going to accept all children? They aren’t required to do that. What about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)? Oversight for adherence to IDEA is being decimated with firings at the federal level. Where will parents go for help? Where will teachers go for guidance? Will children with differences be once again relegated to the shadows, unable to go to school?
Our recourse is to voice our support of public education – and to vote accordingly. Sadly, elections in Oklahoma have very low turnout, so decisions on leadership are made by a very few people. According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Oklahoma is ranked 47th among the states for electoral performance.
Ryan Walters left his office in disarray and our students at the bottom in education because he spent his time on distractions and division. Look, there is not a trans problem in public schools. Teachers are not providing sex-change surgery for children. There is no LGBTQ+ “agenda,” other than wanting to live life like everyone else. Bibles and prayer have always been accepted in schools, but do you really want just anyone teaching your child their brand of religion in front of the classroom? I don’t. That should be taught at home if that is the parents’ choice.
Life will certainly be calmer without a daily distraction or vlog from Ryan Walters. I, for one, am glad about that. I don’t need sensationalism from my public officials. I just want them to do their job.
