Walters says Oklahoma will end relationships with ‘anti-parent’ outside groups
(The Center Square) – Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said Wednesday he is ending the department’s relationships with at least three organizations he said push…
(The Center Square) – Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said Wednesday he is ending the department’s relationships with at least three organizations he said push an “anti-parent” and “woke” agenda.
The Oklahoma School Boards Association, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administrators are included in Walters’ statement.
“They have actively attacked parents and they seek to keep kids in failed situations,” Walters said. “That ends now. Districts and school boards should not have to purchase memberships to external organizations to receive the professional development and training they need to run successful schools.”
The Oklahoma State Department of Education will serve as a “one-stop” shop for training in the future, Walters said. Relationships with the entities and others will be reviewed, he said.
The Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration said the organization has served students for the past five decades by providing resources to educators and other leaders in the state.
“Last year, over 5,400 educators attended CCOSA’s professional development events to serve those members, focusing on topics such as school finance, special education law and teacher evaluation,” the organization said in an email sent to The Center Square. “These resources have been made available to educators in coordination and collaboration with the State Department of Education for the benefit of Oklahoma’s 700,000 public school students. CCOSA has desired for continued partnership with the new administration. As lifelong educators, we continue to encourage Supt. Walters and leaders at all levels to move beyond politics and prioritize public education with impactful investments and other support for Oklahoma students to succeed.”
The Oklahoma School Boards Association and, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center did not respond to a request for comment.
