Timeline: Ryan Walters' Time As Oklahoma State Superintendent

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters has been the subject of several conversations since taking office in January of 2023.

Recently, both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have raised concerns over his decisions, statements, and management of state and federal funding. Walters was himself elected as a Republican which makes the bipartisan criticism stand out.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is being investigated for the following concerns about its spending. The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency is leading this particular investigation, but this is only one of many stories surrounding the Department of Education since Walters took office.

RELATED: State Superintendent Ryan Walters Claims No Title I Allocations Were Late

Most Recent:

Oklahoma Senator Calls For Immediate Action In Letter To Ryan Walters On Emergency Inhaler Funds

Senate Appropriations Chairman Chuck Hall (R-Perry) is urging the State Department of Education (SDE) to expedite the distribution of $250,000 allocated for emergency asthma inhalers in Oklahoma schools. Hall's call comes after guidance from Attorney General Gentner Drummond, prompting him to send a letter to State Superintendent Ryan Walters for immediate action.

Hall emphasized the legislative intent behind the funding, recommending collaboration with the McLarty Foundation, the sole organization providing inhalers. “Schools shouldn’t have to wait any longer,” Hall said, noting that some districts have been waiting for over a year. He also requested information on inhaler distribution and expenditures, as the McLarty Foundation reported no reimbursements from the SDE.

Here is the timeline of reports and incidents surrounding Walters and the OSDE from the last few months.

Oct. 3, 2024: Walters Moves to Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit

Walters has filed a motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit from Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller. The dispute escalated in July when Miller questioned the lack of Title I funding for his district, leading Walters to label him a "liar" and a "clown" during a press conference.

In an August interview, Walters defended his comments, reiterating his belief that Miller is being dishonest. Walters claims his remarks were made during official duties, which he argues grants him immunity from liability in the case.

RELATED: State Superintendent Ryan Walters Files Motion To Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit

Aug. 18, 2024: Attorney General Says Schools Can Rollover Unused Security Funds

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a formal opinion on Sunday, Aug. 18 directing the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) to distribute "long-overdue school security funds" to Oklahoma school districts.

 There had been reports legislatures and districts that the OSDE had refused to allow school districts to retain unused dollars from the School Security Revolving Fund.

The School Security Revolving Fund was established by the Oklahoma State Legislature in response to the 2022 Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. The fund is part of the School Resource Officer Program and was designed to provide $50 million annually to school districts over three years.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said that the OSDE has been seeking clarity on this subject from the Attorney General's Office for a while because he and his department were unsure if the school could roll over funds from the previous year. Walters claims there was a lack of clarity in the law on how to distribute the money.

Five days earlier, Nellie Sanders, Oklahoma's Secretary of Education and Chief Education Advisor requested more information from Walters concerning the SRO funding. Walters suggested that Sanders may have been out of the loop somehow and claimed that his office had been communicating with the governor's office on the matter.

"We’ve been in constant conversations with the governor's team since then, so I don’t know if she was out of the loop, but I’ve had conversations with the governor's team on this for weeks.

Drummond’s opinion carries the force of law and supports the position of legislative leaders that school districts are permitted to carry over these funds from one year to the next. Drummond says he is frustrated that Walters waited more than a year before requesting his opinion.

“Those wasted months have resulted in school districts not receiving millions of dollars in funds they could have used to bolster security and protect students,” Drummond said. “I pray that your failure to deploy these funds does not result in deadly consequences.”

Walters Calls For His Own Impeachment In A Dare To Republicans

In an unexpected move, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters called for his own impeachment proceedings on Friday, Aug 16, 2024.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education is currently under investigation by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) after both legislators and citizens raised concerns about the department's spending. Some House Republicans called for other investigations to be launched into Walters for denying members of the education committee access to executive sessions at State Board of Education meetings and for failing to respond to numerous requests for Open Records.

Walters has called the accusations against his department “baseless lies.” He said there is no need to wait for a committee or an investigation and that if the speaker wants to impeach him, he's calling on them to start impeachment proceedings on Monday.

Related Story: Ryan Walters Calls On Speaker To Start Impeachment Proceedings

“It is time for Oklahomans to have all the answers. For months, I have provided the legislature with a record amount of information and documentation, and I want the people of Oklahoma to see everything that my agency is doing, The Speaker wants to impeach me for his own future political advantage, so I am calling on Speaker McCall and Mark McBride to begin impeachment proceedings Monday. It’s time to end the political gamesmanship, end the fake political attacks, and end the fake controversies. My focus is on ensuring this is the greatest school year we’ve ever had for the kids of Oklahoma.”

Here is a breakdown of the chain of events that led up to this Walters' news conference on Friday.

The LOFT Investigation into the Oklahoma State Department of Education

Rep. Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston) announced the investigation on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 and emphasized that the focus is on transparency and ensuring the proper use of funds allocated by the legislature. The investigation has the support of the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Charles McCall (R-Atoka).

The findings will be shared with the public and Attorney General Gentner Drummond, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives' release.

The investigation is one of the latest in a series of high-profile matters concerning OSDE and, more specifically, State Superintendent Ryan Walters. Elected in January 2023, Walters has made several headlines during his first 18 months in office for various decisions and statements that he has made about Oklahoma's education system, districts, educators, lawmakers, and students.

Walters has maintained a focus on eliminating “woke ideology” and pushing for “parents' rights” during his time in office. He has pushed for crackdowns on books that may promote LGBTQ messages. He claimed that Oklahoma school libraries and the American Library Association promote pornography to children.

He expressed his support for Oklahoma House Bill 1775, a bill that banned teaching certain concepts around race and gender. He also championed the first publicly funded religious charter school in the United States, which was later deemed unconstitutional by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Some House Republicans Call For An Investigation Into Walters and OSDE

On Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 support started to grow among Republican lawmakers for an investigation into State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

A letter calling for an investigation into Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education began to circulate among lawmakers. Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore), the Chair of the Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education, wrote the letter and said there are recent actions by Ryan Walters that McBride finds alarming, including denying members of the education committee access to executive sessions at State Board of Education meetings and failure to respond to numerous requests for Open Records.

Just after 1 p.m., the letter, signed by 17 Republicans, was presented to Speaker McCall (R-Atoka), who said he would not consider an investigation. McCall stated that, in his opinion, most of the issues would be best addressed in committee hearings.

“Unless and until 51 or more Republicans sign the letter and request that the investigative committee be formed, I will not consider the request,” he added.

Walters would then accuse McCall of wanting to impeach him, despite McCall's refusal to entertain a full investigation.

Related Story: Republican Legislators Seek Investigation Into State Superintendent Ryan Walters

Since then, more Republicans have signed on. Rep. Mark McBride, chair of the Appropriations and Budget subcommittee on education, publicly released the letter on August 13. Initially, only 17 other names were attached to it. As of August 14, in the afternoon, McBride said that the number had grown to 25. (See the Full Letter Below)

Rep. Ty Burns from Pawnee is included in the letter. He says this is not about impeaching Walters but making sure due process is done and checking to see if anything wrong is happening.

“We've waited for years for him to grow into his role and lead this state out of the 49th ranking that we have in the nation, and again, it's not happening, and I think the biggest thing is that it's poor leadership tactics,” he said.

Walters issued his first response to the letter on Wednesday, Aug. 14, calling it politically motivated.

“[McBride] does whatever the teachers' unions tell him to do,” Walters said. “He starts this letter full of nonsense. He knows every issue in there has not only been addressed but is sitting at the Attorney General's office with multiple solutions that we've offered, and we're waiting for legal guidance. He knows all those things.”

On Thursday, Aug. 15, the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) began its investigation into the spending concerns surrounding OSDE.

While the LOFT investigation addresses some of the financial concerns raised in the Republican letter, there are still questions raised about the education committee's access to executive sessions at State Board of Education meetings and failure to respond to numerous requests for Open Records.

The Attorney General's office sent the department a notice in July regarding unfulfilled open records requests, which noted its staff struggled to reach staff at the Department of Education. Griffin Media, the parent company of News On 6 and News 9, is one of the media outlets that made a public access complaint to the Attorney General's office.

Related Story: Superintendent Ryan Walters Responds To Republicans Calling for Investigation

Walters said he has added additional staff to expedite the processing of open records requests.

Dispute With Bixby Public Schools Superintendent

On Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 Bixby superintendent Rob Miller filed a lawsuit against Walters for defamation after days of back-and-forth between the two.

The dispute started on July 27 when Miller tweeted about Title I funding information and blamed Walters for a lack of leadership.

Most Recent Story: State Superintendent Ryan Walters Claims No Title I Allocations Were Late

“It's nearly August, and #oklaed schools have yet to receive Title I allocations from OSDE for FY25, which started July 1. Districts used to get preliminary figures in the spring, most recently in May 2022, under previous. SDE leadership. These were helpful in planning ets,” Miller posted. talent drain at the OSDE and the absence of leadership and accountability are directly responsible for this situation. Maybe Ryan Walters can take a break from his travel and media events, stop by the office (if he remembers where it is), and help us out.

Walters responded to the tweets after an Oklahoma State Department of Education meeting, calling Miller a liar and a clown.

“He's a liar. I mean, he's really a true embarrassment. So you know Rob, Rob's a liar and a clown,” Walters said.

Miller asked for a public apology, but he never got one. Walters continued to call Miller a liar in several interviews since, including one with News 9. Below is an excerpt from a News 9 interview with Walters on Thursday, Aug. 15, hours before the lawsuit was announced.

Marsh: You calling the Bixby superintendent a clown and a liar when he's fighting for his district, looking for his district's funding has upset a lot of people. Why do you resort to name-calling?”

Walters: “To be clear, that was a month ago. To be clear, the superintendent lies on a regular basis.”

Marsh: “I'm asking about you. Did you have to call him a clown?”

Walters: “He is lying, Robin. He continues to lie, Robin. the Tulsa World gives him a weekly column for him to lie and the splash it on their papers. So he's out for media attention. He continues to lie. We can show you as far back as April.”

Marsh: “So they have gotten the money?”

Walters: “No, the claim is that he doesn't know how much money he will receive. He was told that back in April. They have known since April how much money they'll receive. The timing of when they get it is up to the government. We tell them the amount and keep them updated on what we're hearing from the feds. But they knew the amount back in April. So he knows that; he's known that; it's been pointed out to him dozens of times.”

Marsh: “Could you just say that?”

Walters: “I've said that three dozen times now, ”

Marsh: “I understand. I guess that was just the thing that set a lot of people off, that it was just resorting to the name-calling.”

Walters: “Well, you know what I hear from a lot of people? They're tired of him lying. They're tired of people that are manuf … this is a fake political crisis. Mark McBride sat here yesterday and told you that. This is politics.

Full Interview: 'I'm All About Kids:' Ryan Walters Responds To Calls For Investigation Into His Department

Miller's attorney, Michael Barkett, says it’s time for Miller to take a stand. Bixby Public Schools start the new school year next week, and Superintendent Rob Miller says that's his main focus but felt this lawsuit was his only way to fight back.

“In Mr. Miller's case, Ryan Walters has even doubled down recently against him baselessly, falsely and maliciously, and so, as everyone has the right to do, Mr. Miller has chosen to use the court system to try to put an end to what Mr. Walters is trying to do to him,” said Barkett. “When someone in a position of Mr. Walters falsely accuses him of not being fit to perform his job and especially not fit to manage the public finances of the school, that's terribly damaging to his reputation, his ability to perform."

Barkett says Miller and Walters have not had a conversation about their issues; they've only communicated through social media, interviews, and news releases. All the while, Barkett says Bixby Public Schools still haven't received the funding information Miller originally asked for.

A spokesperson for Walters sent News On 6 a statement that said:

“No one is surprised that Miller would abuse the legal system by filing a frivolous lawsuit after trying for days to defame Superintendent Walters in the media. This lawsuit is a political stunt by a man with a vendetta, not a legal case.”

Bibles In Classrooms

Ryan Walters Issues Guidance On How Bible Should Be Taught In Oklahoma Schools Amid Pushback From Districts: July 24, 2024

State Superintendent Ryan Walters released guidelines for Oklahoma teachers to incorporate the teaching of the Bible into their curriculum.

According to a news release, the guidelines include the historical context, literary significance, and artistic and musical influence of the Bible.

The guidance also includes provisions that all teachers in the state will be provided with a physical copy of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments as resources in every classroom.

“The Bible is indispensable in understanding the development of Western civilization and American history,” Walters said. “To ensure our students are equipped to understand and contextualize our nation, its culture and its founding, every student in Oklahoma will be taught the Bible in its historical, cultural and literary context. As we implement these standards, our schools will maintain open communication with parents to make sure they are fully informed and full partners in their kids' education.”

This comes after Walters mandated that all teachers would be required to teach the Bible in Oklahoma schools.

State lawmakers and several school districts have pushed back on the mandate, saying it is unlawful.

RELATED: 'There's Enough for Teachers To Do Without Adding More:' Local School District Responds To OSDE Bible Memo

“Some Oklahoma educators have indicated they won't follow the law and Oklahoma standards, so let me be clear: they will comply, and I will use every means to make sure of it,” Walters said.

The news release said the guidelines provided aim to provide a “balanced, objective approach that respects diverse beliefs and fosters critical thinking.”

It is said that they hope the mandate will ensure that students see the Bible not just as a religious text but as a significant historical and cultural artifact with wide influence on human endeavors.

The release says the guidelines should ensure that the curriculum remains respectful and inclusive of all backgrounds and beliefs and keeps a focus on the educational and secular benefits of literacy and background knowledge.

Non-Christian Religious Leaders React To Walters' Bible In Classroom Mandate

Non-Christian religious leaders say they are concerned about the new state policy requiring a Bible in every 5th through 12th-grade public school classroom.

The state Board of Education said all schools must teach the Bible, calling it a historical document, like the U.S. Constitution.

Not everyone agrees with his plans.

The Jewish Federation of Tulsa said, like many groups across Oklahoma, it is seeking more information and believes there is a lack of clarity about what the mandate will require.

“We're deeply concerned about this directive, namely because although the Hebrew Bible is a core text source and source of moral clarity for our community, we believe strongly that this undermines some core tenets of our democracy, namely freedom of religion and separation of church and state,” Community Relations Committee Chair Brae Riley said.

At the Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Executive Director, Adam Soltani, said the move is a slippery slope.

“We live in a state that's filled with numerous religions, dozens and dozens of religions, including people who don't adhere to any religion at all,” Soltani said. “Therefore, why are we emphasizing or requiring the teaching of one particular religious scripture?”

Hindu leader Rajan Zed delivered a prayer at the Oklahoma state Capitol back in 2018 during Interfaith Week.

In a statement released Thursday, he said in part, “Hindus feel that it is fine to incorporate Bible lessons in Oklahoma public schools as long as lessons from the ancient Sanskrit Scripture Bhagavad-Gita are also included."

CAIR feels differently about this.

“As a group, we would never advocate for the teaching of the Quran or any other Scripture in public schools,” Soltani said.

The national nonprofit Freedom From Religion Foundation said that it would take action to stop Walters from mandating the Bible in public schools.

Image Provided By: Associated Press

OSDE Meeting: State Superintendent Walters Announces Memo To Require Bibles In Every Oklahoma Classroom: June 27, 2024

State Superintendent Ryan Walters began the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting by outlining some of the topics for the June 27 meeting, including the recent state supreme court ruling against a state-funded and established religious charter school, St. Isidore. The ruling stated that under Oklahoma law, a charter school is a public school, meaning it must be nonsectarian. As such, the state's establishment of a religious charter school “violates Oklahoma statutes, the Oklahoma Constitution, and the Establishment Clause.”

Walters called it one of the worst decisions that the Oklahoma Supreme Court has made and promised to take the case to a higher court if possible.

“Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court made some horrendous decisions. This is one of the worst. What the court did was rule against the parents of Oklahoma who have demanded more choices for their. We have a great opportunity to make sure that parents have the most options of any parents in the country here in Oklahoma by giving them the ability to go to a public school, charter schools, private ls. This would have been the unique charter school in the country. So I want you all to know that we will continue to fight back against We want to continue to provide an opportunity for parents to send their kids to high-quality schools.

To be clear, this is an argument that is based on a myth. On a lie. You’re not going to find the separation of church and state in the Constitution. It’s not there. You’re not going to see the founders describe religion in this way. But what you are seeing is a court that lacks an understanding of the Constitution. And we are prepared to challenge this all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to make sure that religious liberty is protected in the state of Oklahoma and that parents have all options available,” Walters said.

Related to the Supreme Court decision, Walters announced on June 27 that every teacher and classroom would be required to have a Bible and that he would be issuing a memo to every school district in Oklahoma about the decision. Walters cited a state statute regarding historical documents, claiming that the Bible is a document that has significance to historical events as well as the foundation of America.

“The last thing is, we’re going to make an important announcement today regarding the Bible and the Ten Commandments. My staff has been looking at the Oklahoma statute, and we’ve been looking at the Oklahoma Academic standards. And it’s crystal clear to us that in the Oklahoma academic standards under Title 70 on multiple occasions, the Bible is a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization, to understand the basis of the legal e basis of our legal system and, frankly, to talk about the Bible, one of the most foundational documents used for the constitution and the birth of our country. We also find major points in history that refer to the Bible, reference the Bible.

We see multiple figures, whether we’re talking about the Federalist Papers, constitutional conventional arguments, and Martin Luther King Jr., who used it as a tremendous impetus for the civil rights movement and tied many of those arguments back to the Bible. It is essential that our kids have an understanding of the Bible and its historical context. So we will be issuing a memo today that every school district will adhere to, which is that every teacher, every classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom to ensure that this historical understanding is there for every student in the state of Oklahoma in accordance with our academic standards and state law."

In a follow-up statement, ODSE's Communications Director stated that, per the memorandum, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels. This directive is in alignment with the educational standards approved on or about May 2019, with which all districts must comply. They added that the State Department of Education may supply teaching materials for the Bible, as permissible, to ensure uniformity in the delivery.

Moore Student Sues OSDE, Looks for Protective Order Against Ryan Walters

On July 24, 2024, a Cleveland County Judge said he could grant a Moore student’s request for a protective order against State Superintendent Ryan Walters. The case is related to a lawsuit filed in December of 2023 after the student tried to change their pronouns.

The student’s attorney said they filed for a protective order to prevent the Oklahoma State Department of Education from revealing the student’s name as court proceedings play out. In December of 2023, a Moore Public Schools student sued the OSDE over gender pronouns.

The student received a court order in February 2023 granting them a gender marker change. According to court records, the court ordered the Moore School District to update the student’s gender marker.

However, in September 2023, Walters proposed an emergency rule prohibiting school districts “from altering sex or gender designations [ …] without authorization from the State Board of Education.” The board unanimously adopted the rule.

Walters has spoken out against transgender rights and dismissed the students' request to have their pronouns recognized.

“These rules are common sense,” said Walters in December 2023. “Oklahomans are tired of the left-wing nonsense being pushed on our schools. Let radical extremists promote pronoun confusion. In Oklahoma, we’ll focus on reading and math.”

The student filed their case under a pseudonym to protect their identity. His attorney said the case is “highly sensitive” and “creates a real danger of physical and emotional harm, as a result of the disclosure of his identity.”

Walter's attorney argued that the identity falls in the “public’s significant interest.”

National Organization GLAAD Launches Ad Campaign Against Ryan Walters

In March of 2024, GLAAD released a 30-second TV spot calling out the state superintendent for allegedly spreading fear and disinformation while using taxpayer dollars to fund his personal appearances. In a statement on its website, GLAAD says, “Walters is a threat to transgender students and to all students in Oklahoma. He must be ousted immediately.”

The backlash from GLAAD was largely in response to the death of Owasso teen Nex Benedict and how Walters and the State Board of Education handled the situation.

Death Of Owasso Student Nex Benedict

Nex Benedict, 16, was a nonbinary student at Owasso High School who died on Feb. 8, 2024, the day after an altercation at school with a group of girls. According to the Medical Examiner's report, Benedict died by suicide and did not die as a direct result of trauma from a physical altercation that took place at the school days before.

The report says Benedict had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety and had been self-harming by cutting and says scars were found on the top of Benedict's left hand. It says Benedict had chronic tobacco and marijuana abuse as well. As previously reported, the medical examiner's report says notes written by Benedict were found that suggested self-harm. Police say those notes will remain private with the family but did not make any mention of the fight the day before Benedict died.

It was confirmed by the school that Benedict got into a fight with a group of students in a school bathroom. Owasso Police investigated the incident but did not find sufficient evidence to hold anyone accountable. Bodycam video was later released in which Benedict said they initiated the physical fight after the other students mocked them and their friends.

Before the report was released, Benedict's story had spread across the world through social media. Many sent their love and concern for Benedict under the impression that they were a target of anti-trans bullying. Even President Joe Biden issued a statement about Benedict.

“Jill and I are heartbroken by the recent loss of Nex Benedict. Every young person deserves to have the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are, and feel safe and supported at school and in their communities. Nex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today," said Biden.

Full Nex Benedict Coverage

In the weeks after the incident Walters had called Benedict's death a tragedy but called on all who were interested to wait for the final reports from the Medical Examiner and the Tulsa County District Attorney. After the report was released, DA Steve Kunzweiler said that no charges would filed against the other students for the fight.

"Regarding the fight which took place at the Owasso High School, the combatants were all under 18 years of age. Consequently, if charges were justified, those charges would be handled as a delinquent child cause of action in a juvenile court of law. Based upon the investigation of the Owasso Police Department, I am in agreement with their assessment that the filing of juvenile charges is not warranted. From all of the evidence gathered, this fight was an instance of mutual combat. I do not have a reasonable belief that the State of Oklahoma could sustain its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt if charges were presented for prosecution."

GLAAD was one of many who criticized Walters for his rhetoric and previous statements about LGBTQ, asserting that he created an unsafe atmosphere for those students. They also, did not feel that the Medical Examiner's report was a sufficient explanation of Bendict's death.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis issued the following statement and reiterated their stance that the school and state failed Benedict:

"There is nothing in this one-page document to explain why the medical examiner checked a box. Media must have learned by now that they need to continue to question what they get from law enforcement and government entities in Oklahoma that have so far failed to protect vulnerable students and responsibly provide information critical for student safety. Nex Benedict's family and the entire state of Oklahoma deserve far more answers and accountability from those charged with keeping Nex and all youth safe. What remains true: Nex Benedict and all LGBTQ and Two Spirit, Transgender, and Gender Nonconforming (2STGNC+) youth deserve a world that fights for them to be themselves, to be free from state-sponsored bullying and discrimination. All media reporting on Nex's death and the behavior of public officials before, during and after Nex's death must continue to demand accountability from state leaders about how they are working to protect all youth from harm and when they will stop their relentless attacks proven to cause harm. Our hearts remain with Nex's family and all who grieve this horrific loss and the unacceptable violence that preceded it. It remains imperative that school environments reject bullying in all its forms."

In contrast, Walters called Benedict's death a tragic loss but in the same statement said the "woke mob" for pushing a false narrative.

Statement from Walters’ office:

"The loss of our student in Owasso is tragic for the family, the community, and our state. The LGBTQ groups pushing a false narrative are one of the biggest threats to our democracy and I remain, more than ever, committed to never backing down from a woke mob."

Dispute With Edmond Superintendent Over Library Books

Also in February, Edmond Public Schools petitioned the Oklahoma State Supreme Court to step in after the state board of education ordered the district to remove books from its high school shelves or face an accreditation downgrade.

Edmond Schools Superintendent Dr. Angela Grunewald said the district's accreditation is being jeopardized after the Oklahoma State Board of Education ordered the school to remove two books: The Glass Castle and The Kite Runner.

Since, taking officer last State Superintendent, Walters has pushed for crackdowns on books that, in his view, promote LGBTQ messages. He claimed that Oklahoma school libraries and the American Library Association promote pornography to children.

Grunewald said that the district has received positive feedback for Tuesday's petition.

"Our community supports this action and supports the local control in the library," Grunewald said.

She said two common misconceptions have been that the books are available to students younger than high school age and that parents can not intervene.

"If there are books a parent does not want a student to read, they can notify the librarian and we can flag that account. And the librarian will always check to make sure they're not reading a specific book a parent has requested that they not read," Grunewald said.

Walters has said in the past that an Edmond committee member had said these books are inappropriate for kids below high school age, but the district made the books available to younger students.

“No, [these] books are not. These are just in the high school library,” Grunewald said.

Grunewald says that the decision to file a petition is a way to figure out the best path forward.

Walters released the following statement in response to the petition:

“This is an ongoing subversion of accountability. Edmond Public Schools not only allows kids to access porn in schools they are doubling down to keep pornography on the bookshelves. Parents and kids should have the confidence of going to schools to learn. Instead of focusing on education, EPS has chosen to peddle porn and is leading the charge to undermine parents in Oklahoma.”

New Teacher Bonus Confusion

'That's A Lot Of Money:' Oklahoma Teachers Told To Pay Back Bonuses