Oklahoma's drag queen principal quietly resigns after flak with Ryan Walters, Libs of TikTok

An elementary school principal who performs as a drag queen outside of school hours has submitted his resignation from Western Heights Public Schools, the district’s superintendent confirmed Thursday.

The resignation of Shane Murnan, who’s been the principal at John Glenn Elementary School in the southwest Oklahoma City district, won’t be official until it’s voted upon by the school board at its next meeting, set for Feb. 12, Western Heights Superintendent Brayden Savage said. Murnan is still listed as the principal on the school’s website, but his district email address no longer works. A message left through one of his Facebook pages wasn’t immediately returned.

Murnan was hired in June by the district. He came from Oklahoma City Public Schools, where he had worked since 2015. In August, the conservative social media account Libs of TikTok posted an item identifying the principal as a drag queen performing under the name “Shantel Mandalay.”

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters since has appointed that account’s founder to the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Library Media Advisory Committee.

Ryan Walters called for principal's resignation after Libs of TikTok post

Soon after the Libs of TikTok post in late August, Walters called for Murnan’s resignation, but the district supported the principal, saying he had an outstanding reputation. In September, Walters threatened to reopen Western Heights’ accreditation status and review Murnan’s teaching certificate. The district responded that Murnan had been hired in accordance with its usual screening practices.

"For Dr. Murnan, this included a felony criminal background check and a verification of his teaching certificate, which was renewed in April 2023 and signed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters," the district said at the time.Murnan’s name has not appeared on an Oklahoma State Board of Education agenda since Walters made his threat.

Western Heights Public Schools has incurred extra costs for security, additional help

But since the August social media post, Savage said, the district has incurred extra costs for security and for hiring extra administrative help at John Glenn Elementary School. She said Murnan was often forced to work off-site due to threats received by the district. He recently went on paid administrative leave.Savage said the district has spent about $65,000 since August on those unexpected costs.“It is very sad, just a terrible, tragic situation,” Savage said. “When people question if (the situation) affects kids outside of the building, it affects everyone in the district, in that way. Funds being used (for this) could have been used in other ways.”

Walters said in December, without providing details, that he plans to propose changes to Education Department rules that would clarify “community standards” are part of the application for a teaching certificate and that would tie a district’s annual accreditation to its hiring practices.

Asked Thursday if Walters felt responsible for the principal losing his job, or for the district having to spend extra money on security, Education Department spokesman Dan Isett said, “Once again, The Oklahoman has things backward.”

“Superintendent Walters demanded that the school take action and fire a drag queen who used social media to recruit students,” Isett said. “Western Heights should never have brought a drag queen into a school. This is not a controversy; it is common sense. Walters will not allow Oklahoma schools to become a training ground in drag queen propaganda."

He added: “Finally, it is absurd to think that Walters supporters are somehow inherently dangerous to the point of requiring extra security and is a slander. I’m surprised you’re even mentioning.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma drag queen principal resigns quietly after Libs of TikTok post