‘That Was Disgusting’: Oklahoma Lawmakers React To Controversial Education Department Video Thursday

On Thursday, State Superintendent Ryan Walters shared his thoughts in a video about the state’s teacher unions. The video launched a new education campaign with Walter’s conservative opinions on education.  

The video was posted on the Oklahoma State Department of Education website. Some lawmakers said the video is inappropriate. A typical OSDE meeting featured that five-minute video.  

The video of state Superintendent Ryan Walters and clips of himself appearing on Fox News, along with commentary from people Walters disagrees with regarding how children are taught in schools.   

"I am pleased to announce the public awareness campaign we will be starting from the agency," said Walters at an OSDE meeting on Thursday. 

Democratic Rep. and former teacher Mickey Dollens ( D-Oklahoma City) had plenty of thoughts about this video.  

"That was disgusting," Dollens said. 

Walters has previously endorsed claims of indoctrination in schools.  

"It puts a target on teachers' backs and makes them into something that they're not," Dollens said. 

Now the question is what funding was used to create the video that was posted, removed, and re-posted to the OSDE website. 

"I don't see any way that this moves the state forward," said Rep. Mark McBride (R-Moore).  

McBride said he takes this personally because his sister and daughter are teachers.   

"I find this very disturbing that someone would choose to do that," McBride said. 

The Oklahoma Education Association said in part, "Oklahomans see this for what it is, a desperate attempt to raise a politician's profile at the expense of our neighborhood 

schools."  

Dollens said he plans to ask the Attorney General to look into where that video came from and whether taxpayers paid the bill to produce it. 

"Something needs to be done," Dollens said.