Class Dismissed: State Superintendent Ryan Walters Resigns

This is a developing story

On Wednesday evening, Oklahoma Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced in a FOX News interview that he was stepping down to be the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance on Oct.1.

The Teacher Freedom Alliance was founded in March 2025 by the Freedom Foundation, a conservative think-tank organization. The TFA aims to provide a union alternative for teachers who do not want to be part of traditional teacher unions.

Walter’s has been at the head of multiple controversies throughout his time in office. Some of the biggest being:

• Mandating public school teachers to incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for grades 5-12.
• Tracking the immigration status of Oklahoma public school students
• Implementing the PragerU “America First Teacher Test” for teachers coming to Oklahoma from California and New York
• Announcing that all Oklahoma public high schools will have a Turning Point USA chapter, an organization founded by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk

During his FOX interview, Walters said in regards to his new CEO position that “We’re going to destroy teachers unions, the teachers unions use money and power to corrupt our schools.”

With Walters’ resignation, Governor Kevin Stitt will need to appoint a new State Superintendent for Oklahoma to complete Walters’ term.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said, “It’s time for a State Superintendent of Public Instruction who will actually focus on quality instruction in our public schools,” regarding Walters’ resignation.