Oklahoma's superintendent of public instruction, Ryan Walters, has announced his resignation to lead a conservative nonprofit, a day after mandating Turning Point USA chapters in all state high schools. Walters will become CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a group positioning itself as an alternative to teachers' unions.
Walters, who has served since 2023, drew national attention for promoting religious content in public schools, including requiring Bible instruction and the Ten Commandments. He also mandated an 'anti-woke' exam for teachers from New York and California and supported a publicly funded religious charter school blocked by the Supreme Court.
His tenure was marked by controversy, including allegations of playing explicit content on his office TV and cancelling board meetings. Attorney General Gentner Drummond praised his departure, citing 'never-ending scandal' and declining test scores.
Walters told Fox News he aims to 'destroy the teacher unions,' which he accuses of corrupting schools. The Teacher Freedom Alliance claims about 2,700 enrolled teachers.
