OSDE At the Center of Bipartisan Questioning

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OKLAHOMA CITY – As young Oklahoman students prepare for the upcoming school year, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is once again caught in the crossfire of allegations and controversy. 

Throughout Ryan Walters’ term as State Superintendent, Democratic legislators have questioned his leadership choices. Now, for the fifth time, House Democrats are calling for an official committee to investigate and possibly impeach Walters.

Calls for Impeachment

“On August 29, 2023, we called for a special bipartisan committee to investigate whether there are grounds for the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional power to impeach Ryan Walters,” said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson in a press statement. Lawmakers have revisited the call for impeachment several times for various reasons. In March 2024, House Democrats became alarmed upon discovering that the OSDE had reportedly misspent federal dollars. They then submitted an audit request to the Attorney General and drafted HR 1052, calling for the creation of an investigative committee. 

Democrats are no longer alone in their probes for impeachment. Republican legislators have been circulating a joint letter that calls for an official investigation into Walters’ leadership. “I’m glad members of the Republican Supermajority are joining our calls for action against State Superintendent Ryan Walters,” Munson said. “Republicans hold the power in both legislative chambers and the Governor’s mansion—it is time for them to use their power to hold the State Superintendent accountable to the people of Oklahoma. We have all waited long enough.”

Seventeen House Republicans signed the letter, referencing issues that have persisted during Walters’ 18 months in office. “I have grown increasingly concerned about the budget performance, spending priorities, and transparency surrounding the Department,” said Rep. Mark McBride. He goes on to say that the OSDE’s response has been unprofessional and contrary to the best interests of Oklahoma students. 

Before the letter became public, a small handful of Republican Representatives had already voiced concerns about Walters’ professional decorum.

“Problematic” Leadership Tactics

On Monday, August 12, Representatives  Josh West (R-Grove), Ty Burns (R-Pawnee) and Chris Banning (R-Bixby) issued a press statement in which they questioned Walters’ leadership tactics. 

Background

In June, Walters mandated that the Bible be taught in Oklahoma classrooms. Some districts took it upon themselves to publicly announce they do not intend to implement the new rule. One of those districts was the Tulsa suburb of Bixby. Superintendent for the district Rob Miller voiced his frustrations about a lag in receiving federal funding. He also stated that his district has no intentions to change the curriculum to include the Bible. 

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Walters countered Miller’s claim saying, “They’ve come out and said they’re not going to teach the Bible because they don’t agree with it, and they don’t want it in our history even though it’s clearly there.” He continues, “To be crystal clear, removing the Bible from our classrooms robs our children of a complete and well-rounded understanding of our country’s history.”

He also refuted Miller’s statement regarding district funding, calling him a liar and a clown. Banning, who represents Bixby in the state House took issue with Walters’ response. 

“After Walters chose to name-call Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller, a former Marine who faithfully served the Constitution and protected our rights, we decided we couldn’t sit back any longer. Though we do not speak for others, we cannot stand by while a respected leader and veteran is insulted and demeaned for simply doing his job. Walters’ behavior is unbecoming of any leader, especially the highest-ranking person in the Oklahoma public school system,” said the joint press release from Banning, Burns and West. 

Open Records Requests Gone Unanswered

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is also on the list of state leaders who have grown increasingly frustrated with OSDE. On July 16, Drummond sent a letter to Walters, echoing concerns of those who have had their open records requests ignored. The letter includes a list of unanswered requests and possible consequences for not complying with the Open Records Act. 

OSDE Communications Director Dan Isett responded to the scrutiny surrounding the requests stating that Walters is committed to transparency. He continued by saying that the plethora of requests has been orchestrated by “far-left activists in the media.” Isett also claims the department has had to hire additional staff to “deal with this weaponization of open records process.”

Drummond agreed that there is a lack of staff available to sort through the number of requests. “To attempt to resolve any delays I have approved the hiring of additional personnel to respond to open records requests,” Drummond responded on August 9.