1. United States
2. Okla.
3. Letter

I am writing to express deep concern over the continued leadership of State Superintendent Ryan Walters & to urge you to support a formal investigation into his conduct, with consideration for resignation or impeachment. The recent incident involving pornographic content displayed during a State Board of Education executive session is not an isolated lapse, it is part of a disturbing pattern of misconduct, mismanagement, and abuse of public trust. Walters’ response to this incident, including denial and deflection, only underscores the need for transparency and accountability. Thanks to advocates like David Blatt and organizations such as Oklahoma Appleseed, the public is becoming increasingly aware of the breadth of Walters’ failures. These include: A. Dereliction of Duty and Legal Noncompliance • Refusal to apply for federal education funds • Ordering schools to reject Title IX protections • Failure to allocate appropriated funds for school safety, maternity leave, asthma care, and teacher pay • Attempts to claw back teacher bonuses • Delays in Title I funding and data submission for national rankings B. Administrative Chaos and Retaliatory Leadership • Mass staff departures and agency dysfunction • Threats against employees and media restrictions • Political litmus tests for employment • Blocking legislators from attending board meetings • Appointing extremist figures to secret advisory roles • Obstructing access to special education data and test score changes C. Overreach and Abuse of Authority • Revoking teacher certificates without due process • Refusing to recognize court-approved gender changes • Promoting unconstitutional religious mandates in schools • Attempting to strip Tulsa Public Schools of accreditation • Enforcing immigration policy and pushing federal abolition agendas D. Misuse of Public Funds and Personal Misconduct • Alleged campaign finance violations • Dual employment conflicts • Misuse of federal pandemic relief (GEER funds) • State-funded political travel and propaganda • $600K in staff bonuses and questionable payouts • Pornographic images displayed during official meetings E. Dangerous and Divisive Rhetoric • Attacks on transgender students, educators, and journalists • Dissemination of pornographic content via email • Denial of the Tulsa Race Massacre’s racial context • Smearing of public school leaders and librarians • Promotion of fringe organizations and curriculum changes rooted in ideology, not evidence This is not about partisan politics! It is about protecting Oklahoma’s students, educators, and institutions from further harm. Walters’ actions have eroded public trust, endangered vulnerable communities, and undermined the integrity of our education system. I urge you to support a comprehensive investigation into Superintendent Walters’ conduct and to take all necessary steps to ensure accountability. Oklahoma deserves leadership that prioritizes students over spectacle, and safety over self-promotion.