Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s polarizing state superintendent of public instruction, will resign by the end of September 2025 following intense backlash over his campaign to bring Bibles into public school classrooms and promote conservative Christian values in education. His departure marks a significant moment in the national debate over religion, public education, and the separation of church and state .
Who Is Ryan Walters?
A former high school history teacher and son of an Oklahoma minister, Walters rose to prominence as a leading figure in the conservative education movement. Elected in 2022, he quickly became a lightning rod for controversy by:
📚 Key Policies and Controversies Under Walters
- June 2024: Mandated Bible instruction—including the Ten Commandments—in all Oklahoma public schools.
- Required out-of-state teacher applicants to pass a “woke indoctrination” screening test.
- Pushed for publicly funded religious charter schools (rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025).
- Ordered all high schools to host chapters of Turning Point USA, the group founded by slain activist Charlie Kirk.
- Advocated removing classic literature deemed “pornographic” from school libraries.
Why He’s Resigning Now
Walters announced his resignation to become CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a new nonprofit backed by the conservative Freedom Foundation. The group aims to weaken teachers’ unions by encouraging educators to opt out of union dues and offering alternative professional development aligned with conservative values .
“We’re going to destroy the teachers’ unions,” Walters declared on Fox News shortly before his resignation.
Timeline of Walters’ Tenure and Fallout
| Year | Milestone | Public Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Elected Oklahoma State Superintendent | Conservative praise; liberal concern |
| 2023 | Pushed HB 1775 enforcement (bans “critical race theory”) | Teachers report self-censorship in classrooms |
| 2024 | Mandated Bible teaching in public schools | Legal challenges; ACLU condemnation |
| Early 2025 | Supreme Court rejects religious charter school plan | Major legal setback |
| Sept. 2025 | Resigns amid staff turnover and board tensions | Celebrated by unions, lamented by Christian right |
Bipartisan Backlash and Internal Turmoil
Walters’ leadership drew criticism not only from Democrats and education unions but also from some Oklahoma Republicans who feared his policies violated the First Amendment. Tensions peaked when the State Board of Education held a meeting without him after an incident involving inappropriate content allegedly playing on his office TV—later deemed “an accident” by the sheriff .
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called his resignation “a good day for Oklahoma’s kids” and accused him of “failing on the job.”
National Implications
Walters was once considered a potential U.S. Secretary of Education under President Trump. His policies mirrored broader GOP efforts to reshape public education—promoting “patriotic” curricula, restricting diversity programs, and challenging secular norms in schools. His exit may signal limits to how far such agendas can go without triggering legal and political blowback.
For more on the battle over curriculum and religion in schools, see our in-depth report on the legal history of prayer in U.S. public schools.
