OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An Oklahoma representative has called for immediate impeachment of State Superintendent Ryan Walters following a third bomb threat at a Tulsa elementary school this week.
It comes the same day Walters laid out a warning for Tulsa public schools.
Not even a year into his tenure, State Representative Mickey Dollens says Walters has created an unsafe space for teachers and students, after a third bomb threat was made this week at Ellen Ochoa Elementary over “woke ideologies.”
“Since day one, Ryan Walters has used his office to weaponize his position and vilify teachers and school unions, parents and now teachers and librarians,” Dollens said. “He needs to be taken out of office.”
Dollens is calling for action while expressing his concerns with where Oklahoma education is heading with Walters at the helm.
“Now we are seeing the real, real dangerous side effects of his inflammatory rhetoric and his propaganda and his continuous campaign,” Dollens said.
The threats come as Walters continues to push against what he calls “woke indoctrination” in classrooms. No one has felt that push stronger than Tulsa public schools. Today Walters ended months of speculation over Tulsa’s accreditation, allowing the district to keep its status for now.
“I would advise Tulsa Public Schools their leadership, do not test me,” Walters said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes for these kids.”
Not one Tulsa representative denied the district has issues, but each one echoed they’re working on improvements.
The first change Walters has been longing for, the district’s superintendent to resign which she did on Tuesday. The board has now moved on to what the district can do next.
Requirements include:
– A plan to train teachers in reading
– A plan for all schools with an ‘F’ on their state report card
– New internal controls that would protect the district from embezzlement
With that, the board unanimously approved Tulsa’s accreditation status with deficiencies, but time is ticking.
“There will be a real consequence within a few months if these measures aren’t made,” Walters said.
However, some say there is no way they can meet those requirements in just a few months. Dollens says however long Walters remains in his seat, threats will continue to be made.
“I know that the people of Oklahoma are tired of hearing the tweets,” Dollens said. “They’re tired of having to hear your thoughts and prayers after a tragedy actually happens. Let’s mitigate that. Let’s do what we can right now to prevent that from even being part of the conversation. And that starts with stepping up and getting Ryan Walters out of office.”