As a concerned Oklahoman and deeply invested member of our community, I, along with many others, am dismayed at the actions of our current State Superintendent, Ryan Walters. His leadership has been marked by divisiveness and inefficacy, subverting the very principles he vowed to uphold.

Our educational system should be a nurturing place for our students and a supportive environment for our teachers—not a platform for sowing division or promoting personal ideologies.

Growing up in Oklahoma, I was fortunate to have teachers who believed in me and worked tirelessly to provide me with the tools to succeed. But today, I see my friends who are teachers struggling just to stay in the profession. Many have left due to burnout, lack of resources, and feeling unsupported by leadership. 

It is heartbreaking to see critical issues such as teacher shortages and lack of funding being overshadowed by personal agendas. Oklahoma has one of the highest teacher shortage rates in the country, according to data from the Learning Policy Institute. If current trends continue, this crisis will only worsen, leaving more classrooms without qualified educators.

Furthermore, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that Oklahoma’s K-12 funding per student fell by 28.2% after adjusting for inflation—the steepest drop in the entire country. This lack of funding directly impacts the quality of education, from outdated textbooks to crumbling infrastructure, all while the focus shifts to divisive mandates like placing Bibles in classrooms instead of addressing these urgent needs.

The duties of a superintendent are complex and multifaceted, but foremost among them is to put students and educators first. Ryan Walters has failed to do this. His actions prioritize personal ideologies over practical solutions, and our children and teachers are paying the price.

We cannot stand by and let our education system continue to suffer. I urge every Oklahoman who cares about the future of our state to demand the immediate resignation of Ryan Walters as State Superintendent.

Sign the petition today. Your signature is more than just a mark on a page—it’s a stand for the betterment of Oklahoma's education system, for our teachers, and for our students. Together, we can make a difference.