OKLAHOMA CITY – Echoing the state education secretary, 14 state lawmakers issued a media statement last week, calling on the state Department of Education and the State Board of Education to investigate Summer Boismier, an English teacher at Norman High School who distributed a computer link to a Brooklyn library.
The issue began in August after Boismier, a Norman teacher who said she was frustrated by a bill passed by the Oklahoma Legislature, shared the link.
Boismier covered her personal classroom library with red butcher paper. On the paper Boismier wrote, “Books the state doesn’t want you to read,” and posted a quick response code to the Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned site, which provides free online access to thousands of books.
Two days later, a parent of one of Boismier’s students, identified by an Oklahoma City television station as Laney Dicksion, complained about the QR code. Dicksion said she was concerned that the book, “Gender Queer,” which is available on the Brooklyn Library’s website, was too explicit. She called Boismier a pedophile and has said criminal charges should be brought against her.
On Aug. 31, Gov. Kevin Stitt’s secretary of education, Ryan Walters – now a candidate for the post of state superintendent of public instruction – posted a letter on the social media site Twitter calling on the state Board of Education to revoke Boismier’s teaching certificate.
Walter’s original letter said Boismier had been fired by the Norman school system, which was incorrect. A short time later, Walters posted a second letter which said Boismier had resigned.
"We have a teacher who in her own words said she violated the law and claimed to be a 'walking HB 1775 violation' and 'would do it again in a heartbeat. No regrets. Would do it again. Will do it again,'" the lawmakers said in their media statement. “It is incumbent upon the State Department of Education to place this matter on the State Board of Education's agenda to determine whether any violations of law actually occurred, and if they did, discuss whether this teacher's certification should be revoked.”
The statement, issued by Republican state Reps. Kevin West and Chad Caldwell, included the names of 12 other lawmakers: Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle; Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont; Tom Gann, R-Inola; Jim Grego, R-Wilburton; Jim Olsen, R-Roland; Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany; Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville; Rick West, R-Heavener; Danny Williams, R-Seminole; and state Sens. George Burns, R-Pollard; Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain; and Cody Rogers, R-Tulsa.
Pushback over HB 1775
While the debate over Boismier’s action continues, the legislation at the center of the fight has hundreds of school officials concerned and, in some cases, forced some lawmakers to walk back their earlier support of the measure.
In July, the Oklahoma State Board of Education downgraded the accreditation of schools in Mustang and Tulsa for alleged violations of House Bill 1775. The action lowered both districts’ status to accredited with warning, a penalty that exceeded the recommendation by the state Department of Education.
And accreditation with warning causes extra state oversight and says a district failed to meet standards in a way that "seriously detracts" from the quality of its educational program.
Officials in both districts pushed back in late July, calling for the state to reconsider its action. The board upheld the sanctions.
About a month later, on Aug. 25, two state lawmakers who had originally supported HB 1775 issued media statements questioning the state board’s action. State Sen. Paul Rosino, a Republican from Oklahoma City, and state Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, said they were disappointed by the board’s refusal to revisit Mustang’s accreditation status.
“This is one of the finest school systems in our state and the board's lack of proper consideration and discussion of this issue Thursday is inexcusable,” Rosino said. “I commend Mustang Superintendent Charles Bradley and High School principal Kathy Knowles for their continued leadership and for the tremendous support from all of the other administrators, teachers, and parents.”
Hill echoed Rosino and said the board’s decision was “deeply flawed.”
“Their verdict was reached absent of due process and dismissed detailed facts of the situation. Regardless of the implications of this ruling, I know that our Mustang Public School teachers, administrators, coaches and support staff are among the best in the state, and I thank them for all their work to educate our students,” he said.
Hill said he would file legislation in 2023 to ensure Oklahoma's schools and citizens have protections of their rights to due process, even from unelected boards.
Along with Hill and Rosino, two other state lawmakers – both Democrats – said they wanted to see proof that Tulsa Public Schools violated HB 1775.
State Rep. Regina Goodwin said at a press conference that she spent two weeks asking the state department of education, and Tulsa Public Schools, to provide any evidence of a violation of House Bill 1775.
"No one has taken the time to say, 'This is how 1775 was violated,” Goodwin said.
State Sen. George Young, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, said he made a trip to Tulsa to show his support in the effort for more answers.
"I'm tired. I'm tired of all of the things that have come down the pipe that we just have to take, and we can't do anything about,” Young told a Tulsa television station.
An ongoing fight over books
While Boismier was not fired because of her actions, the pushback over access to books and other school library materials has reached the crisis level in Oklahoma. During the legislative session, several lawmakers attempted to pass bills that banned certain books from public school libraries.
Those bills came at the same time that Attorney General John O’Connor said he was reviewing more than 50 books to determine if those books violated the state’s obscenity law. Those books included John Stienbeck’s book “Of Mice and Men” and the novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding.
O’Connor would, just a day later, walk back his efforts to ‘review’ the books.
Just one day after his office confirmed its review of the books, O’Connor released a statement saying his office was not investigating the books.