Former Norman teacher who shared link to banned books still in license limbo
The future of a former Norman High School educator’s teaching license remains unresolved after an attempt to revoke it never came before the state’s top school board in August.
The Oklahoma State Board of Education was expected to consider revoking Summer Boismier’s teaching license at its meeting. That’s despite a finding from an assistant attorney general that officials failed to prove the former English teacher broke the law when she shared a link to a library’s online collection of banned books. That vote didn’t appear on the board’s Aug. 24 meeting agenda.
State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters still intends to bring the issue to the board for a vote, but it hasn’t yet been scheduled, said Dan Isett, spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
More: Oklahoma school officials 'failed to prove' teacher violated state law in hearing Wednesday
Education officials previously said Walters planned to finalize the revocation in August. The state Board of Education makes the final decision.
Why Ryan Walters wants to revoke former Oklahoma teacher's license
Walters has accused Boismier of attempting to indoctrinate students with a “liberal political agenda” and said he wants her teaching license permanently revoked.
Boismier referred comment to her attorney, who did not respond.
Although Boismier said she never endorsed any particular title, state officials contended some of the books in the library catalog contained explicit sexual content and racist concepts.
In August 2022, she resigned from Norman High School to protest House Bill 1775, a state law limiting classroom discussions on race and gender.
More: 'An impossible position': Oklahoma teacher resigns over HB 1775
A display in Boismier’s classroom on the first day of school prompted a parent complaint. The teacher had posted a QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library’s collection of banned books and covered her bookshelves in red butcher paper with the words “books the state doesn’t want you to read.”
Boismier’s resignation became a viral news story and attracted criticism from Walters, who was then running for state superintendent.
The former Norman teacher has since moved to New York to work at the Brooklyn Public Library. Although she no longer lives in Oklahoma, she has fought the revocation proceedings.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ryan Walters says former Norman teacher's license still up for vote
