OKLAHOMA CITY – Two years after he was elected to office, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters announced last week that he was stepping down from his post to serve as the leader of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, an anti-union group.
Walters made the announcement during a Sept. 24 appearance on Fox News.
'I'm excited to announce I'll be stepping down as Oklahoma State Superintendent and taking on the role as the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance,” he said.
Following Walters’ announcement, the TFA – a part of the Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank – issued a media statement praising Walters’ appointment to the post. The group said it provides educators professional support services and resources as an alternative to traditional union membership.
'We’re honored to have Ryan Walters as the next CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance. Ryan is a proven freedom fighter who understands that America cannot restore its education system without breaking free from the grip of teachers’ unions,' Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation, said.
Although he had not submitted an official letter of resignation to the governor as of Sept. 29, Walters will assume his new post role Oct. 1. He said his group would work to end teachers’ unions in public schools. The early October start date means that Walters conducted his last State Board of Education meeting on Sept. 25.
'For decades, union bosses have poisoned our schools with politics and propaganda while abandoning parents, students and good teachers. That ends today. We’re going to expose them, fight them and take back our classrooms,' Walters said. 'At the Teacher Freedom Alliance, we’re giving educators real freedom, freedom from the liberal, woke agenda that has corrupted public education. We will arm teachers with the tools, support and freedom they need, without forcing them to give up their values. This is a battle for the future of our kids, and we will not lose.'
The announcement that Walters was leaving his elected post drew myriad responses from Democrats and, at present, only one from a Republican.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the state has witnessed “a stream of never-ending scandal and political drama” since Walters became an educational leader.
“From the mishandling of pandemic relief funds that resulted in families buying Xboxes and refrigerators to the latest squabbling with board members over what was or wasn’t showing on TV, the Stitt-Walters era has been an embarrassment to our state,” Drummond said in a media statement. “Even worse, test scores and reading proficiency are at historic lows.”
Drummond said it was time to have a State Superintendent of Public Instruction who will focus on quality instruction in our public schools.
Walters’ tenure as the leader of the state’s common education system has at best been difficult.
Since his election, several of Walters’ proposals – including fights over how education funds should be spent, a push to place Bibles sold on behalf of President Donald Trump in public schools and changes to state curriculum – all have caused pushback and political fights.
In addition, Walters was recently investigated by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation after two members of the state education board reported seeing videos that had images of naked women on the television his office.
Walters was cleared of any wrongdoing, and the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office said no charges would be filed regarding the situation. Walters called the investigation “the biggest witch hunt in Oklahoma history.”
In September, Walters made headlines for saying every high school in Oklahoma must have a Turning Point USA chapter on campus. That statement followed the death of conservative voice Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated during a campus speech in Utah.
Walters has also been touted as a candidate for the 2026 race for governor.
He was elected as state superintendent in 2022. He received 56.8% of the vote. Prior to his public service, Walters spent eight years as a high school history teacher in his hometown of McAlester. He taught Advanced Placement courses in world history, U.S. history and U.S. government.
While most Republicans in state government have, so far, been quiet about Walters’ announcement, several Democrats said they were pleased Walters was leaving office.
“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,” House Democratic Assistant Leader Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, said. “Teachers, stick with us. Stay. If you’ve left, please come back. We need you because Oklahoma kids deserve the best.”
Norman Democrat Rep. Jacob Rosecrants said he remains concerned about Walters’ agenda.
“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,” Rosencrants said. “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!”
Stitt has remained silent about Walters’ resignation. The governor will have to appoint someone to serve out the remainder of Walters’ term. So far neither the governor, nor his staff and said anything about who would replace Walters.