'Do not test me.' Ryan Walters demands quick improvement in Tulsa schools; accreditation approved

After months of delays and allegations, the Oklahoma State Board of Education approved Tulsa Public Schools' accreditation with deficiencies during the highly anticipated meeting Thursday, adding a requirement for monthly in-person updates on the district’s progress.

The unanimous approval came after a month-long delay requested by state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who alleged serious issues, including poor academic performance, embezzlement investigations and a lack of transparency.

Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist, who defended her district from Walters’ criticisms in a lengthy high-profile dispute, announced Tuesday her decision to resign ahead of Thursday’s meeting. She said she hoped that her departure would allow the school district to retain local control and avoid a state takeover.

Despite the board's approval, Walters was adamant in saying that he was willing to step in with more dramatic action if the district did not improve within a certain amount of time.

“I would advise Tulsa Public Schools, their leadership: Do not test me,” Walters said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes for these kids.”

He added, “They have an opportunity here to drastically change directions, and I would love to see them do it. But I want to be crystal clear, if that does not happen, I leave every option on the table to force this district to serve these kids. I’m willing to do anything to turn this school around.”

More: Ryan Walters under fire after retweeting video cited as cause for school bomb threat

Tulsa board members bristle at Walters' comments, voice commitment to student success

When invited to speak publicly, Tulsa school district board members asked the state board to approve the accreditation and give them time to continue implementing plans to improve the school district.

Jennettie Marshall, a board member for Tulsa Public Schools District 3, said the district’s new interim superintendent, Dr. Ebony Johnson, is an experienced professional with 24 years of service to the community and deep knowledge of results-driven instruction.

“Dr. Johnson accepted the position, and these were my words to her, 'Accepting this position, you put a target on your back, because this district is in turmoil and in trouble,'” Marshall told the board, recognizing the district’s issues as cited by Walters.

Related: Resignation of Tulsa's school superintendent draws mixed reactions of outrage, optimism

“The board is going to do everything to assume our rightful position, to walk in the trust that the community has given us by electing us, and to demand the results that you expect from us and (that) our parents and children expect,” Marshall said.

Some officials did not take kindly to what they saw as a threat from Walters for a state takeover if district officials did not accomplish certain goals during a short timeframe.

Rep. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa, addressed the board with her own concerns, detailing her dissatisfaction with Walters’ lack of communication with legislators and what teachers had described to her as a “culture of intimidation” fostered by Walters.

With more than 33,000 students who are predominantly non-white, some district officials and other critics of the state superintendent have charged Walters, a Republican, with turning issues political, claiming he is not doing enough to propose substantive changes to realistically improve the school.

“We don’t need a state board that attacks. We need a state board that assists and understands,” Goodwin said. “Children could care less about a Republican or Democrat. They want us all to work together, and they want leadership, not fear-mongering, not untruths, not name-calling.”

Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, is a former Tulsa Public Schools board member and told The Oklahoman she was proud of the district board members’ advocacy. She noted that the board’s requirements on reporting monthly improvements in person, demonstrating internal changes on financial transparency and getting the school district off the F-list were good steps toward keeping local control.

“Accreditation’s not about outcomes,” Schreiber said. “It’s specifically about the business of running the schools and these plans, so we’re happy to come down and do that.”

Conservative voices agree with Walters' assessment

But not all of the district officials were unhappy with Walters.

E’Lena Ashley, a board member for Tulsa Public Schools District 4, was criticized for delivering a prayer during a graduation ceremony earlier this year. A self-described “conservative voice,” she said she agrees with Walters’ assessment of the district’s literacy issues, attributing them to “10 years of downward trajectories.”

“Finally, the light is being shed on this, and I’m so disappointed that these people still are angry, because we’re trying to help the students do something that they want to do,” Ashley said. “They want to read, they want to be prepared for life and careers, and all we hear is complaints.”

Skeptical of some of her colleagues’ advocacy for adding mental health counselors and other new programs, Ashley said she believes more teachers are the solution and agrees with Walters that monthly monitoring could provide a helpful check-and-balance.

“We need teachers ... If it’s tutoring, if we have to hire tutors, we need to address critical skills, the fundamental skills,” Ashley said. “And then I think a child would be more confident and feel better about themselves. And then after we give them some foundation, then we can address feelings and those kinds of things. But we need the freedom to address the foundational basics first.”

'If they do not fix these problems, I will.'

The often-tense state school board meetings have become centers of outrage as community members and stakeholders vie for seats in the meeting space.

Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, who chairs the Oklahoma House subcommittee on education funding, told The Oklahoman he was unable to sit in the conference room during the board meeting, despite requesting a seat along with multiple other lawmakers for several weeks.

“I think that not being in the room, when (the board) is asking things of the Legislature, is questionable,” McBride said.

Walters has proven a polarizing figure for his far-right brand of politics, often inflaming what pundits have called “culture wars” with rhetoric about gender identity and critical race theory.

Thursday’s meeting began that way, with Walters calling for statewide reporting from school districts on administrative policies regarding “gender confusion” with students’ preferred pronouns, and making an accusation without evidence that Tulsa Public Schools had accepted money funneled from the Chinese government to teach communist propaganda.

Exclusive: In Oklahoma, hundreds of students go to court for school infractions

But once Tulsa Public School board members were called to state their case, other state board members engaged them in lengthy and civil discussion, asking them how they intended to address challenges in the district with reading proficiency and financial transparency while offering their own suggestions on how the boards could partner on solutions.

Walters eventually interjected, and the meeting moved along to the vote for accreditation. He reiterated, however, his intention of holding the district accountable if improved outcomes were not seen in the coming months.

“We have to demand action in the short term. We cannot allow a year to go by before an issue is addressed,” Walters said. “I will not let this district fail. If they do not fix these problems, I will. The clock has started.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Education board approves Tulsa Public Schools accreditation