Hearing to revoke former Norman teacher's license over race and gender protest set for March

M. Scott Carter and Murray Evans, The Oklahoman
Updated ·2 min read

The Oklahoma State Board of Education voted Thursday to decide in March whether to revoke the license of a former Norman Public Schools teacher’s state license.

The board voted to hold a hearing on March 28 to consider revoking Summer Boismier's teaching license. Boismier was a teacher at Norman High School. Her attorney, Brady Henderson, said the move was expected.

“Today's vote is not the revocation itself,” Henderson said.

Ryan Walters, Oklahoma state schools superintendent, speaks Thursday during an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting at the state Capitol.
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma state schools superintendent, speaks Thursday during an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting at the state Capitol.

In August 2022, Boismier resigned from Norman High School to protest House Bill 1775, a state law limiting classroom discussions on race and gender. In her classroom, Boismier covered the shelves with red butcher paper with a sign written in black marker that read "books the state doesn't want you to read." She also posted a QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library, which gives students online access to banned books.

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters said Boismier was attempting to indoctrinate students with a “liberal political agenda" and asked that her teaching license be permanently revoked. Although Boismier said she did not endorse any particular book, state officials alleged some of the books in the library catalog contained explicit sexual content and racist concepts.

Where is the former Norman teacher now?

Since the incident Boismier has moved to New York. She now works at the Brooklyn Public Library and continues to fight the revocation proceedings. She asked for a hearing about the issue, and at that hearing last June, an assistant attorney general ruled the Oklahoma State Department of Education “failed to prove” Boismier had violated any state law.

Boismier also has filed a defamation lawsuit in federal court against Walters.

Henderson said the board had to take several steps Thursday before it can actually vote on whether or not to revoke Boismier’s license. He said the board is expected to file a list of exceptions — responses to Boismier’s filing — and they also have to address an earlier motion filed by Boismier, which sought to disqualify Walters from both prosecuting the matter and then voting.

“He is essentially acting as a judge and a voting member,” Henderson said. “That has to be decided.”

Tori Caswell holds signs with other activists Thursday before an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting at the Oklahoma Capitol in Oklahoma City. The activists were there to protest other issues, not to specifically support Summer Boismier.
Tori Caswell holds signs with other activists Thursday before an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting at the Oklahoma Capitol in Oklahoma City. The activists were there to protest other issues, not to specifically support Summer Boismier.

Thursday afternoon, Walters said he was not familiar with the disqualification motion. "I really haven't looked at it; I'm not sure what all the background is to that," Walters said.

Henderson said he expected the matter eventually to find its way to district court.

“If the board and Walters want to proceed with the revocation, even though there is no evidence, if they do that, we will have to go to district court,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Termination hearing for Norman teacher Summer Boismier set for March