By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, is resigning to lead the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a conservative educators’ group. Walters, known for his embrace of culture-war politics and his efforts to incorporate religion into classrooms, has been a controversial figure. He has faced lawsuits over his policies, including mandating the use of the Bible in lesson plans and promoting election conspiracies. Walters also announced plans to establish Turning Point USA chapters in high schools before his resignation.
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Ryan Walters resigns as Oklahoma’s top public schools official to lead a conservative educators’ group. Now, that’s a headline that, frankly, feels like a culmination of events, doesn’t it? It’s the sort of news that makes you pause and take a breath, wondering what twist is next. Let’s be honest, the man’s tenure was, to put it mildly, eventful. Remember the reports? The whole incident involving, let’s just say, inappropriate viewing habits during a board meeting? Not exactly the kind of behavior you’d expect from someone at the helm of the state’s educational system. It certainly raised eyebrows and called into question his judgment, to say the least.
Then there were the policy decisions. Mandating the teaching of the 2020 election “steal” narrative in the state’s curriculum? That’s a move that injected controversy into the classroom. And let’s not forget the push to have Trump-branded Bibles prominently displayed in every public school. These aren’t exactly neutral, educational choices. They’re loaded with political and religious overtones, and they have sparked a lot of debate, with people asking what kind of values and messages are being pushed in these classrooms. Some might even describe these actions as a form of indoctrination.
It’s no surprise, then, that this departure, from his role as State Superintendent, feels like the end of a chapter. But what about this new role? Leading a “conservative educators’ group”? It sounds like a pretty significant pivot, doesn’t it? It’s clear that his focus on culture war politics, and the attempts to push religious ideals into school instruction, have been a defining feature of his time in office. His new role, specifically, seems designed to further his goals and make sure that other teachers follow his views.
And let’s talk about the bigger picture. Oklahoma’s education system, according to recent studies, has been ranked near the bottom in the nation. The news that his new job will be focused on destroying teachers unions is also concerning. The unions are there to look out for the teacher’s best interests, and when someone is focused on getting rid of the union’s voice, it can lead to detrimental effects on teachers and student learning. Does that really signal a commitment to improving the educational outcomes for Oklahoma’s students? It’s hard to say.
It makes you wonder about the future. Is this a springboard for greater things? Perhaps a run for Congress? Or is this a calculated move to consolidate power and influence within a specific ideological sphere? Whatever the motivation, this change of scenery raises questions about the future of education in Oklahoma and the direction the new superintendent will take. The fact that even some Republicans in the state seem to have had enough of his methods and actions is also telling, right? It speaks volumes about the extent to which he pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable.
The reactions to his departure have been revealing. One Republican, a candidate for governor, stated that his time as superintendent has brought nothing but scandal and drama. That’s not the kind of legacy one usually aspires to. So, what happens now? The good news is that Walters has been removed from a position where he could push his agenda by edict. The bad news is that he will most likely be using the new role to push the same agenda, but on a national level.