Oklahoma’s Director of Public Leadership Resigns to Lead Teachers’ Union Alternative

Ryan Walters has stepped down from his position as Oklahoma’s director of public leadership to take on the role of CEO at The Teacher Freedom Alliance (TFA), an organization focused on opposing teachers’ unions. His new position will start on October 1.

In a recent statement, Walters expressed his intention to challenge the existing teachers’ unions, saying they have used their financial and political influence to harm public education. He emphasized, “Our goal is to dismantle the teachers’ union.”

TFA claims to support educators aiming to cultivate a moral and engaged citizenry. According to its website, the alliance currently has about 2,770 teacher members and aligns itself with the Freedom Foundation, an organization known for its anti-union stances.

Walters stated that, unlike traditional teachers’ unions, the TFA doesn’t dictate educational policies. Instead, it plans to collaborate with teachers to bring about changes within schools nationwide. He went further to say that TFA aims to “build an army of teachers” to effectively confront the influence of teachers’ unions. In a statement, he framed the organization’s mission as “the battle for our children’s future.”

In response to Walters’ departure, the Oklahoma branch of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association were contacted for their views.

Walters began his tenure earlier this year after serving as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Education since September 2020, appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt. His time in office has been marked by a focus on conservative educational issues and a partnership with Turning Point USA to set up chapters in public high schools across the state.

Recently, Walters made headlines for advocating that the Bible be included in all public school classrooms, suggesting that lessons about its role in American history be required for teachers. He included foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in his proposal.

However, this requirement was later modified, with officials from the Oklahoma Management and Enterprise Services deciding to exclude these foundational documents due to budget concerns linked to the materials endorsed by Trump.

Walters has also urged schools to instill lessons on “American exceptionalism” in their curricula. To officially resign, he will need to submit a formal notice to Governor Stitt, who will then appoint someone to complete Walters’ term, which extends to January 2027.

The Hill reached out to Stitt’s office for comments regarding this change.