Ryan Walters steps down as Oklahoma schools chief, plans ‘to destroy’ teachers unions

 Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R) is resigning to helm an organization pledging to take on teachers unions. 

The head of Oklahoma’s public education will become the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance (TFA) on Oct. 1, he told Fox News on Wednesday night. 

“We’re [going to] destroy the teachers unions,” Walters said. “We have seen the teachers union use money and power to corrupt our schools, to undermine our schools.”

The TFA, according to its website, “exists to assist educators in their mission to develop free, moral, and upright American citizens.”

The organization says 2,770 teachers are members. It is part of the Freedom Foundation, a conservative, anti-union organization.

“Unlike the teacher unions, we are not dictating our prescription on the education system; instead, we are working with teachers like you to fix what you see in classrooms, schools, and districts across the country,” TFA’s website adds. 

On Wednesday, Walters said the TFA “will build an army of teachers to defeat the teachers’ unions once and for all.” In a TFA statement released Thursday, he called the organization’s mission “a battle for the future of our kids.”

The president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second-largest teachers union in the country, expressed relief at the news. 

“Today is a good day for Oklahoma’s kids,” American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten told The Hill, via a spokesperson. “It’s no surprise that Mr. Walters, after failing on the job, is leaving the state. Any educator worth their salt understands it’s impossible to educate students if you don’t support teachers. Walters didn’t do that in Oklahoma and now, at a time we need to bring the country together, he’s trying to export his divisive rhetoric nationally.”

The AFT is the second-largest teachers union in the country, behind the National Education Association (NEA). 

In a statement to The Hill, the Oklahoma office of the NEA said Walters stepping down “is the beginning of a better Oklahoma.”

“We must leave this divisiveness behind and work together as a team with parents and communities by listening to and supporting our students and education professionals,” the branch added. “Our public schools can once again become a source of pride and promise for every community in our state.”

Walters took office in January 2023, after more than two years as Oklahoma’s secretary of education. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed Walters to the role in September 2020.

During his time in office, Walters prioritized conservative culture war issues and aligned himself with President Trump. He announced a partnership with Turning Point USA on Tuesday that will establish chapters in all Oklahoma public high schools.  

Turning Point USA’s co-founder, Charlie Kirk, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. 

Last October, Walters required all Oklahoma public school classrooms to feature the Bible and mandated that teachers incorporate lessons on the Bible’s role in American history.

The initial mandate required the Bibles include historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In March 2024, Trump began selling “God Bless the USA Bibles” that included those two documents.

But the requirement was later changed to no longer include the founding documents requirement, with the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services citing the Trump-endorsed book’s price tag. 

Walters also called for a national requirement for Bibles in schools in November, and has pushed for educators to teach “American exceptionalism.”

In order to officially resign, Walters must file a notice to Stitt. The governor will then appoint a successor to serve the rest of Walters’s term through January 2027. 

Stitt, in a statement, wished Walters the best in his next chapter.

“Oklahoma students remain my top priority, and with my first appointment to this role, I will be seeking a leader who is fully focused on the job Oklahomans expect: delivering real outcomes and driving a turnaround in our education system,” he said.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5521586-oklahoma-superintendent-resigns-teachers-unions/