OKLAHOMA CITY (March 5, 2025) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond made the following remarks about legislation to allow State Board of Education members to add items to the board agenda. House Bill 1491 won unanimous approval this morning by the House Education Oversight Committee.

“Gov. Stitt promoted and supported Superintendent Ryan Walters every step of the way, even standing by the superintendent when he gave ‘blanket approval’ for the misspending of our tax dollars. Now that his handpicked superintendent refuses to do his bidding, Gov. Stitt wants to change the law to give his appointees full control of the education agenda,” Drummond said. “First, Gov. Stitt gave us Ryan Walters, and now he wants to give us new appointees he says will be better. We can only hope. Meanwhile, our schoolchildren rank in the Top Ten for worst-performing test scores.

“I applaud our legislative leaders for doing what they can to clean up the mess that Gov. Stitt and Supt. Walters have made of our public education system. The Legislature has demonstrated time and again that it has the will and ability to do what is right for Oklahoma, even overriding Gov. Stitt’s veto when necessary. I have full confidence they will do what they believe is best for Oklahoma students.”

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