Oklahoma AG Drummond to OSBE appointees: "You must act independently"

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond sent a letter to the three new State Board of Education appointees on Wednesday, urging them to "act independently" from Governor Kevin Stitt and State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

Drummond's letter comes after Stitt announced on Tuesday that he would be replacing three OSBE members in response to failing test scores and "needless political drama" surrounding Walters.

Stitt later pointed to Walters' push to count undocumented students and allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into schools as another reason for the board shake-up.

While Drummond supported the new appointments, he says Stitt's past poor judgment has enabled Walters and his agenda.

“While I welcome the Governor’s apparent ‘shake-up’ of the Board, this action is only necessary because of Gov. Stitt’s extremely poor judgment in appointing, promoting and then endorsing Ryan Walters and his anti-public schools agenda,” Drummond says in the letter. “As a new board member, you must act independently of Gov. Stitt and Superintendent Walters. The oath of office you take is to the Constitution and Oklahoma law.”

The full letter can be read below.

Walters responded to Drummond's letter on Thursday.

"Liberal Gentner Drummond needs to stop pretending to be Governor and start doing his job. The Democrat Hofmeister era of failing schools and woke nonsense is OVER. Teachers’ unions have a new ally in Drummond to support their corruption and undermining of our schools. Drummond is too busy playing politics and trying to please the swamp while we’re delivering real results for parents and kids. Weak leadership won’t stop us—we’re making Oklahoma schools GREAT again!"

State Superintendent Ryan Walters

The three OSBE appointees must be approved by the Oklahoma Senate. The expected date for their confirmation is currently unknown.