Late last week all hell broke loose after the State Board of Education met in an executive session. The meeting was held in Superintendent Ryan Walters' office. During the private session, which included among other things, discussing the revocation of teaching certificates for inappropriate conduct, board members, Becky Carson and Ryan Deatherage claim they witnessed nude women cavorting on a television located there. Carson demanded that the Superintendent, "Turn it off!" Deatherage noted that the people on the screen who were clothed appeared to be wearing fashions out the 1960's. (One of them had a hat on, "similar to the one worn on the old sitcom, "Gilligan's Island.") Walters, after fumbling around with the remote control for a painful moment, finally cut the TV off. Other members, who claimed they couldn't see the images, said in the immediate aftermath Walters appeared, "Shook up" and "flustered." '
This past Tuesday Walters held a press conference in front of the Governor's office in the capitol building. (No doubt because in conspiratorial demagoguery, like real estate, location is everything.) He told the media, in part, "These board members have a lot to answer for--and so does the Governor of the state of Oklahoma. Did he direct these board members to lie about me? Did he direct them to go in and disrupt everything in these board meetings? What exactly were they told to do?"
Indeed, what were they told to do by the Governor? According to Ryan Deatherage he hasn't spoken to Governor Kevin Stitt in about two years. In other words, Stitt hadn't told him anything. Carson has also denied receiving instructions from the Governor. Undeterred by facts, Walters took a trip further into the deep end when he claimed the Oklahoma County Sheriff's office, who is investigating the incident, had already exonerated him. The next day, during an interview on the local CBS affiliate Sheriff Tommie Johnson was asked if Walters had actually been exonerated. His answer was a simple, "No." He went on to say his department had just begun its investigation and anyone suggesting the inquiry could be wrapped it up in a single day was insulting both the process and the team looking into it.
Oops.
Back in front of the Governor's office Walters finished with, "We will continue to make sure these board members are held accountable. They should resign immediately in disgrace for the lies they told. We should get back to work for the people of Oklahoma."
Well, God knows we need it. Walters has been in office for two plus years and the state now ranks 50th in public education. Only New Mexico is below Oklahoma. (The District of Columbia was included in the survey.) That means the state even ranks behind Mississippi, which until the Walters' Wild West and Magic Act showed up, didn't seem possible.
Blaming board members, the Governor, and the press--yes, he claimed the media was also in on the plot to, "subvert the will of Oklahoma voters," is so Trumpian in nature we should have expected it. However, the accusation that these people--republicans all--just made this shit up to get rid of him might serve another purpose.
Earlier in the week Walters announced the state would, "partner," with American Virtual Academy, an Arizona based online school. According to Walters the, "Academy is focused on bringing, patriotism and American values into education." What Walters failed to say is American Virtual Academy is also focused on making its founder and CEO, Damien Creamer a boat load of money. According to one report in the Oklahoman, since 2015 Creamer has raked in $24 million in personal salary paid in full by the taxpayers of Arizona.
When someone sitting in on the announcement asked about the school's stunning lack of academic success, Walters claimed the media had it confused with another online Arizona school which had run so afoul of educational authorities in Arizona they lost their charter. He was talking about what was called Primavera Online School. Before losing their charter only 9% of their students tested proficient in math, as compared to 32% of the students in the rest of the state.
For those who haven't figured it out yet, a Phoenix media outlet reports Primavera Online School and American Virtual Academy are the same thing, run by the same guy, Damien Creamer. Apparently, those American values don't include figuring out the answer to 2 plus 2. But hey, Ryan Walters assured everyone there the state of Oklahoma would advise parents how to qualify for financial assistance if they want to enroll their kids into this latest adventure in private education. As the Superintendent said, "Oklahoma is the friendliest school choice state in the nation."
Yeah, and look where that got us, Ryan.
When asked the Superintendent was proud to inform the audience that he alone had worked out this deal. He didn't need help from the board--you know, the people who are supposed to have a say in such things. For the record, no one has said it yet and I'm not saying it now, but it is certainly a possibility Mr. Walters didn't want the board involved for reasons that are, shall we say, a tad shady. Let's face it, no one, except perhaps for Ryan Walters himself, can deny it appears that opportunity is there. Especially when you consider the shaky record of American Virtual Academy and its founder.
In an op-ed piece for the Oklahoman, Christy Taylor wrote, "Instead of focusing on educational outcomes, Walters prioritizes culture war theatrics, mandating bible instruction, adding 2020 election denial language into curriculum, and threatening teachers from other states--all while using state money for national news appearances to boost his political profile. " She summed it up succinctly, "It's clear Ryan Walters is unfit to lead our schools."
Amen to that, Sister.
8-1-25
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