Guest: Ryan Walters is a master of contradictions, and Oklahoma education is paying the price

On Sept. 19, Ryan Walters testified before a U.S. House subcommittee that Tulsa Public Schools “maintains an active connection with the Chinese government.” Yet, the school district notified the Oklahoma State Department of Education that the contract had ended nearly a month before on Aug. 25. In addition, there is proof that Walters received an email with all the details on Sept. 15, even though he wants to deny that.

The so-called Chinese connection simply involved a Tulsa teacher attending a seminar on Chinese language instruction with NO money being received. This really isn’t a “contradiction” but instead is a “lie.” It is obvious that Walters didn’t want the truth to interfere with his opportunity for nationwide news coverage.

Walters continues to state that parents know what is best for their child

Yet, when Walters was in charge of distributing COVID relief funds for educational supplies, in FY 2021, $1.7 million was spent by parents for items that had nothing to do with education. This certainly indicates that these parents did not do “what was best for their child.”

When testifying before the U.S. House subcommittee, Walters was asked if he was concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability required of private schools; he responded that “parents know what is best for their child.” To expect that “a parent’s concern for their child” can offer the necessary oversight for the instructional programs and the operations of a school is absurd. The millions of misspent dollars revealed in an investigation of Epic Charter Schools are definite proof of that!

Local school boards are an important way that parents are given the opportunity to have input into “what is best for their child.” Yet, Walters’ continued threats to take control of Tulsa Public Schools and, now, Western Heights school district, are attempts to remove the opportunity for parents to have a say in “what is best for their child.”

Walters states that no school receiving a failing grade is acceptable

Yet, the state Education Department website states that the schools' report card grades are based on the bell curve, which means that no matter how good or bad the results, 5% will receive a grade of “F.” And Walters should know this! Also, he, and his legal team, should be aware that he and the board have no authority to change the accreditation standards as he has indicated he will do.

Walters says no sexual content should be in any classroom

Yet, he is considering requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every classroom. Obviously, “thou shalt not commit adultery” relates to the sexual act.

Walters wants the Bible in the classroom. If he has really read the entire Bible, he would realize that there is a massive amount of sexual content within its pages. A look at Genesis 19:33-36 and Ezekiel 23 are just a very small sampling.

Walters wants to continue to rant about pornography in the schools. Yet, when he was asked to supply the details, he deflected until finally after 130 days an open records request revealed the state Education Department does not maintain such a list. And when Walters set up “Parent Watch,” a site where concerned parents could notify the department about such materials in school classrooms and libraries, only one response out of 4,000 was even close to a complaint. Since there is no evidence to the contrary, the logical assumption would be that the “already in place procedures” of the local school districts respond to parents’ concerns about particular books and appropriately have been able to address the issue. So, the next time you hear Walters talk about all the “porn” that is in the schools, remember these facts.

Walters says the classroom should not be a place for indoctrination

Yet, he has no problems in forming a partnership with PragerU, which boldly states their videos indoctrinate. And it is disturbing to note that the founder, Dennis Prager, has no problem with animated child pornography and considers a poster in a fourth-grade classroom that states, “This world is better because you are in it,” as totally absurd since, according to Prager, a child that age could not make the world a better place. Do these views represent the type of person you want creating content for your child’s classroom? But Walters applauds the “indoctrination” that he approves of.

Walters said it is important for students to know the foundations of our government

Yet, he wants to ignore the words in Section II-5 of the Oklahoma Constitution that state: “No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion.” But in giving major support for allowing public money to go to the Catholic Church for a virtual charter school that boldly states it will teach Catholic doctrine, Walters has indicated that he believes he has the authority to ignore those straightforward words in the Constitution and instead replace it with his own interpretation.

Contradictions form a huge barrier to organizational success. True leaders take responsibility for eradicating contradictions and instead create an environment where vision, facts, values, words and actions are aligned. But Ryan Walters is a master of contradictions, and Oklahoma education is paying the price.

Janis Blevins is a life-long Oklahoman who realizes that the quality of the public education of today is a major indicator in the future of Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Guest: Oklahoma education pays price for Walters' contradictions