Tightening The Screws
Better late than never.
After nearly a year of off-and-on public handwringing, House leaders finally are tightening the screws on state Superintendent Ryan Walters.
Last week’s subpoena, aimed at overcoming Walters’ stonewalling and getting to the bottom of the harm he’s inflicting on Oklahoma’s public schools, is a rare, but necessary – and welcome – first step.
One that begins to build a case for impeachment.
The fact the subpoena was signed by House Speaker Charles McCall, Common Education Chair Rhonda Baker, and Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee Chair Mark McBride speaks to the gravity of Walters’ malfeasance.
After all, Republican leaders typically avoid public intra-party squabbling, especially when it involves someone like Walters who appears to enjoy the backing of a pivotal GOP primary voting block: hard right activists.
McBride, R-Moore, is term-limited and hasn’t publicly expressed interest in seeking a different office. Baker, R-Yukon, could serve two more terms if voters continue to support her.
McCall’s position is far different. As the Atoka Republican begins his 12th and – by law – final year in the House, he’s widely believed to be positioning himself for a 2026 gubernatorial bid. Would taking on Walters help or hurt his prospects of claiming the GOP nomination?
The rabid base currently might be cheering Walters’ nonstop social and rightwing media crusading against “woke” educators supposedly working overtime to “indoctrinate” their students. But as the state Department of Education is dismantled under his watch, local schools no longer receive important federal funding, and textbook publishers flee the state, the mob might not be cheering much longer.
There’s little doubt McCall, Baker and McBride are hearing from school administrators, classroom teachers and concerned parents trying to survive the slow-motion train wreck Walters is engineering. His well-funded effort [mostly by out-of-state oligarchs] aims to replace public schools with private, for-profit and/or religious education. In other words, actual indoctrination.
This is one of those moments that demands political calculations take a back seat to what’s best for the state and its future generations. It may not advance their elective careers, but if McCall and Co. don’t waver, history likely will remember them for thwarting the destruction of the crown jewels of many Oklahoma towns: the local, public school.
McBride especially deserves credit, working tirelessly in the 11-plus months since Walters took office to hold him accountable for his actions – and more often, inaction – that damage the state and its 700,000-plus school kids.
“In my 12 years, I’ve never known a time an agency head would not sit down with the Legislature, even though we disagreed,” McBride said, according to KFOR. “This needs to stop. They need to stop using our kids as their political pawns.”
For one who seemingly bloviates 24/7, Walters has been strangely silent about the subpoena, which demands his response be delivered to McBride’s office no later than 3 p.m. Jan. 5. But Walters’ taxpayer funded attack dog, Matt Langston, offered up the equivalent of a third-grader retorting, “Your momma!”
He accused McBride of “lying,” adding, “All Oklahomans should question his political and ideological stances … Rep. McBride actively works with Democrats and teachers’ unions to undermine Superintendent Walters’ and Oklahomans’ conservative policies.”
That’s Demagoguery 101. If you can’t defend, you seek to deflect.
The notion McBride is somehow in league with Democrats and unions is laughable. His legislative record clearly suggests otherwise. But it is true McBride is proving himself to be a problem-solver and consensus-builder.
If that means including Democrats and teachers’ unions in the conversation, so be it. What’s wrong with that? Isn’t that the way the system is designed to work?
The clock is ticking on Walters’ superintendency.
Thank you!