OKLAHOMA CITY — Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s most polarizing superintendent of public instruction in modern history, has submitted his official resignation letter less than three years into his term. His departure, announced in a letter to parents and guardians, marks the abrupt end of a tenure defined by censorship, culture-war crusades, and a deepening crisis for students and teachers across the state.
In his resignation letter, Walters framed his exit as a victory lap, celebrating what he called “historic education reforms.” He boasted about eliminating “DEI, CRT, and woke indoctrination,” restoring the Bible to classrooms, expanding private school vouchers, and overseeing record bonuses for select teachers. “Serving as your State Superintendent has been an honor,” Walters wrote, before announcing his transition from state office to a national advocacy role.
A Culture Warrior in the Classroom
From the start, Walters made clear that his approach was seemingly less about teaching and learning and more about reshaping schools into battlegrounds for conservative ideology. He fought to impose religious texts in public schools, attempted to dismantle diversity initiatives, and used state resources to stoke fears of “indoctrination.”
Black communities experienced his tenure as a direct attack. By weaponizing words like “CRT” or critical race theory. Walters signaled his refusal to confront Oklahoma’s legacy of racial violence and inequity.
“But let’s not tie it [the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre] to the skin color and say that the skin color determined it,” Walters said at a meeting in reference to the Massacre. Descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and Black educators working to ensure history is taught honestly saw his policies as erasure, not reform.
Walters also drew national headlines for supporting St. Isidore, the nation’s first religious charter school, in a move that many legal scholars argued violated the constitutional separation of church and state. His battles with civil rights groups, teachers’ unions, and even fellow Republicans made Oklahoma education a flashpoint in the broader culture wars.
Targeting Immigrant Children
Walters’ tenure also took aim at immigrant students. He pushed a rule requiring parents to show proof of citizenship or legal residency during school enrollment, effectively turning classrooms into immigration checkpoints. He even suggested cooperating with ICE to remove children whose parents faced deportation.
The proposal drew immediate backlash from educators and immigrant-rights advocates, who warned it would terrify families and violate the constitutional right to education. Governor Kevin Stitt ultimately blocked key parts of the plan, but Walters defended it as necessary to measure the “burden” of undocumented students — reducing children to statistics and deepening fear in vulnerable communities.
Turmoil, Transparency, and Silenced Voices
Walters’ administration became notorious for its hostility toward the press. In 2023, his office barred The Black Wall Street Times from conducting interviews, citing this paper’s critical coverage as an unprecedented attempt to silence a Black-owned newsroom. That move however underscored what many critics described as Walters’ authoritarian streak: intolerance for dissent and a refusal to be held accountable.
At the same time, Oklahoma classrooms faced worsening teacher shortages, declining test scores, and the loss of valuable instructional time. Educators reported feeling demoralized and vilified, while parents raised concerns about the politicization of their children’s education.
From State Office to National Stage
Rather than take responsibility for the controversies that defined his leadership, Walters is using his resignation to expand his reach. He will now lead the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a conservative group vowing to “destroy the teachers’ unions.” By leaving early, Walters is betting that his combative, grievance-driven politics will resonate with right-wing donors and media outlets.
“It’s no surprise Ryan Walters has chosen his own personal ambitions over serving our students and teachers, like he always has,” Oklahoma Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt said. “Republicans failed to hold him accountable to do his job, and they should be embarrassed he’s left this office of his own accord.”
“Ryan Walters’ resignation is long overdue. Parents across Oklahoma have watched in frustration as he turned classrooms into culture-war battlefields instead of places where children learn and thrive. His attacks on immigrant families, efforts to erase the role of race in the Tulsa Race Massacre, and hostility toward educators created fear when what families need is hope,” Keri Rodrigues Langan, president of the National Parents Union, told The Black Wall Street Times.
Governor Kevin Stitt struck a different tone: “I wish Ryan and his family the best in this next chapter. Oklahoma students remain my top priority, and with my first appointment to this role, I will be seeking a leader who is fully focused on the job Oklahomans expect: delivering real outcomes and driving a turnaround in our education system.”
Stitt must now appoint a replacement to serve through January 2027. The transition gives Oklahoma a chance to turn the page on a turbulent chapter, though Walters’ imprint from voucher expansion to ideological curriculum mandates will not fade easily.
What’s at Stake for Black and Marginalized Students
For Black families in Oklahoma, Walters’ resignation raises urgent questions. Will his successor dismantle the policies that censored history and punished diversity efforts? Additionally, will students once again be free to learn the unvarnished truth about their state and America’s past and the challenges of its present?
The fight for public education is far from over. Walters may be leaving the superintendent’s chair, but his move to the national stage ensures that the same battles he waged in Oklahoma will continue to echo across the country.
For communities of color, educators, and parents who have resisted his agenda, the task now is clear: remain vigilant, amplify the truth, and hold the next superintendent accountable to the students who deserve more than politics in their classrooms.
As an Oklahoma teacher, and seeing his shenanigans first-hand, I hesitate to call this his official resignation letter. Nowhere does it say, “I quit”, I “resign”, or even SEE YA! to his boss, Governor Stitt. Hopefully that will happen before 11:59:59 p.m. tonight.