House Democratic Caucus responds to Walters’ resignation
OKLAHOMA CITY – Former educators and members of the Oklahoma House Democratic Caucus released the following statements after the announcement that the Oklahoma State Superintendent is resigning from his post. “We are facing some of the most difficult challenges in public education in Oklahoma, and as per usual, the State Superintendent continues to keep the attention on him—even as he announces his resignation. We must remember that our 50th in the nation ranking for public education did not happen overnight or by Ryan Walters alone. Republicans have been in charge of state government for nearly two decades prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthiest and corporations and making massive investments in private school vouchers with our public tax dollars. The result has been a lack of investment in public education which has resulted in larger class sizes and low teacher pay. House Democrats made six calls to Republican legislative leaders to hold Ryan Walters accountable to no avail, and now, he is leaving office without answering any questions that Oklahomans have demanded. It is now time for us to get away from the distractions and put our focus on our students, teachers, and families—we have plenty of work to do, and it will take all of us.” — Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City “Today brings a new beginning and opportunity for Oklahoma schools and our children. We have a lot of work to do to heal the damage of the last several years. That begins with renewed funding, and a sincere plea: “Teachers, stick with us. Stay. If you’ve left, please come back. We need you, because Oklahoma kids deserve the best.” — Oklahoma House Democratic Assistant Leader Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa “Superintendent Walters brought chaos and polarization to the state’s largest appropriated agency. Oklahoma Democrats were the first to call for action to rein in his reckless administration of public schools for 700,000 Oklahomans. The GOP did nothing as we fell to 50th in education. We are glad to see his resignation. Good riddance.” — Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa “While it’s wonderful to wake up knowing the specter of the most incompetent state superintendent in Oklahoma history has vanished, what hasn’t vanished is his agenda. Our opposition was never solely about the superintendent, it’s the incompetence, the lies, the waste of taxpayer dollars, and the rhetoric. The work to protect our public schools, to listen to parents, to support our teachers, to provide transparency of our tax dollars continues, always!” — Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman “While Walters announced his resignation on Fox News, the Governor’s office has not yet confirmed when or if it will take effect. Like many in my district, I am glad to finally see Walters put students first by resigning as superintendent. Unfortunately, his resignation won't magically fix all the harm he has done. Nor will it erase the failure of the Legislature to hold elected officials accountable and provide oversight of state agencies. His replacement will also be appointed by Governor Stitt, the same person who appointed him Secretary of Education in 2020. Whether you are celebrating his departure or not, this is the time for the people of Oklahoma to stay engaged. I encourage all Oklahomans to continue attending state and local board meetings as well as being in communication with legislators. Oklahoma’s students deserve better, and real change will only come when we demand it together.” — Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa -END-