Oklahoma’s Ryan Walters Resigns as Education Chief to Lead Conservative Teacher Freedom Alliance
Oklahoma’s Ryan Walters Resigns as Education Chief to Lead Conservative Teacher Freedom Alliance
OKLAHOMA CITY — Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s controversial state superintendent of public instruction, announced his immediate resignation this week to assume the role of CEO for the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a conservative educators’ nonprofit. Walters, 40, confirmed his departure Wednesday night on Fox News, signaling a continued focus on culture war issues within the national education landscape.
During his tenure, Walters championed policies aligning with conservative principles, including a mandate for public school teachers to incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for grades 5 through 12. He also advocated for requiring social studies teachers to promote specific theories regarding the 2020 election, track student immigration status, and implement a specialized exam for teacher applicants from states like California and New York, aimed at countering what he termed “radical leftist ideology.” These initiatives frequently led to legal challenges against him and the state agency, even as Oklahoma’s educational rankings saw declines.
Just days prior to his resignation, Walters announced plans for Turning Point USA chapters in Oklahoma high schools, stating a desire for students to engage in dialogue about “American greatness” and “American values.” This move follows a significant surge in interest for the organization, founded by Charlie Kirk, since Kirk’s assassination on September 10th. Walters explicitly stated his intention to “destroy the teachers unions,” accusing them of corrupting and undermining schools.
Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond, a Republican, reacted to the news, stating that Walters’ time in office had been marked by a “stream of never-ending scandal and political drama.” Drummond expressed a hope for a new superintendent who would prioritize “quality instruction in our public schools.”
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