Oklahoma Capitol rally demands impeachment of State Superintendent Ryan Walters

Multiple state lawmakers and advocates spoke at the event, which was organized by Oklahomans for Democracy. All of them asked people to contact their lawmakers about Walters and to begin participating more politically.

Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, was the first to speak and strongly criticized Walters’ leadership at the Oklahoma Department of Education.

“Look at what has happened at OSDE under Ryan Walters. You have grant writers, program managers, accounting staff, accreditation staff, the entire legal team and not just one, but two chief financial officers, quit on you,” said Fugate. “You have to wonder why folks. Because it is true: people do not leave their jobs, they leave their bosses.”

Fugate criticized Walters for losing out on federal funding for crisis intervention teams and for not entering into a contract to provide inhalers to schools, which Fugate said has led to the death of a student.

“Ryan says to hold up on the inhalers because of a single-source contract,” said Fugate. “Well, my friends, that’s a little weird, because he has one of those special contracts with a place called Vought Strategies, that is for his own self-promotion. It’s sad that Ryan’s own personal ambitions are more important to him than the life of a child.”

Fugate also criticized House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, for being unwilling to impeach Walters because it would overturn an election.

“My friends, impeachment is specifically provided to overturn an election,” said Fugate. “When people discover that the person elected is unfit, incompetent, unwell, lazy or corrupt, what other recourse do they have?”

Multiple Republican representatives signed a letter to McCall asking for an impeachment investigation of Walters. McCall responded by saying he wouldn’t consider an investigation until the letter has more than 51 signatures from Republican lawmakers. However, an investigation by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) into OSDE spending has started.

Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City, said during his remarks at the rally: “The GOP supermajority here at the Capitol has finally woken up to the negligence of Ryan Walters and his administration and the negligence happening at his direction. Dozens have now signed up to be a part of a letter calling for an investigative committee.”

Other speakers included Madison Horn, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Oklahoma’s Fifth District; Sean Cummings, a member of Defense of Democracy who regularly speaks at State Board of Education meetings; and JeKia Harrison, the president of Young Democrats of Oklahoma.

After the planned speakers were finished, members of the crowd were invited to share their concerns. Social studies teacher Aaron Baker said teachers were not rallying around the issue because they are afraid of reprisal from the Education Department. He said when teachers walked out in 2018 they were not concerned that they would lose their jobs due to advocacy. Now, Baker said, teachers are afraid of losing their job or having their certification taken away for participation.

A 14-year-old student from Edmond North High School, Sylvia Davis, said she is tired of Walters picking fights when he should be focusing on important issues like student safety.

Christopher Johnston, an activist with the Oklahoma Coalition Against People Abuse, advocated for involving the federal government and the U.S. Department of Justice.

“It is time to get this thug out of office,” he said.

Late Saturday, Dan Isett, spokesperson for Walters, criticized those at the rally.

“Oklahomans didn’t need additional proof that Democrats are porn deniers, want government, not parents, to be in charge, and want radical indoctrination in the classroom. Today’s rabble at the Capitol provided another example that the left has become the party of Gender Queer, Flamer, and hatred of Oklahoma values. Superintendent Walters will never back down to the left wing mob that controls the Democrats.”

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