OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma’s top Senate leader said an inquiry is underway following “a bizarre and troubling situation” where two board members reported that they saw naked women on State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ office television.
Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said the inquiry is being led by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and “leadership at the agency is working through proper channels to initiate the investigation.”
The Oklahoman and NonDoc reported Friday that board members Ryan Deatherage and Becky Carson said they saw the pictures on a television in Walters’ office during a State Board of Education executive session that was held July 24.
“This is a bizarre and troubling situation that raises serious questions about the events and what took place during yesterday’s executive session at the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting,” Paxton said in a statement. “The accounts made public by board members paint a strange, unsettling scene that demands clarity and transparency. Senator (Adam) Pugh and I appreciate the quick action by OMES to help coordinate through this situation to get details on exactly what happened. More transparency is essential before strong conclusions can be drawn.”
Pugh, R-Edmond, is chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
“Some of these board members are blatantly dishonest and cannot hide their political agenda,” Walters said Friday night. “It is disappointing that they are more interested in creating distractions than getting work done for Oklahoma families.”
State Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, who chairs the House Committee on Common Education, said Friday night that he attended Thursday’s executive session. However, he was sitting in the back corner of the room where he couldn’t see the television. He said he left during a break before the incident occurred.
“Anytime something like this would happen is a major shock,” he said.
But Lowe said he spoke with both board members Thursday night who told him that they had seen nude women on the television. He said the board members told him that when they questioned Walters about the women, the state superintendent appeared to be surprised and said he needed to get it turned off.
Lowe said he has “no question that this is true,” though he doesn’t know all the facts.
He said the incident will be investigated, lawmakers will make sure they have all the facts, and will follow the law at the conclusion.
“In the State Department of Education, how does that get there on TV?” he asked. “I don’t think that question’s out of line.”
He said he also notified House Speaker Kyle Hilbert about it.
A spokesperson for Hilbert, R-Bristow, said the Speaker believes a probe is needed.
“These are serious allegations made by two members of the State Board and an expeditious third-party review is warranted,” Hilbert said in a statement. “I urge the State Superintendent to unlock and turn over all relevant devices and fully cooperate with an investigation.
“If no wrongdoing occurred, a prompt and transparent review should quickly clear his name.”
Carson could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.
Deatherage declined a request for an interview, but said in a text message that it is his top priority to protect students.
“We hold educators to the strictest of standards when it comes to explicit material,” Deatherage said. “The standard for the superintendent should be no different.”
The two board members were recently confirmed by the Senate. Deatherage was appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt during a board restructuring that replaced three board members following what Stitt called “needless political drama.” Carson was appointed to fill a vacant position.
The board has questioned Walters’ actions and his authority in recent months. On Thursday, board members questioned Walters over his authority to require districts to provide free school lunches to all students, a controversial test he wants to require California and New York teachers to take before they can become certified to teach in Oklahoma, and a new partnership with a private, online Arizona-based school. The board wanted to know why they weren’t consulted.
Carson also publicly questioned Walters about why he didn’t provide them with a copy of a resignation letter that was addressed to both the board and Walters.
Walters has been a vocal critic of pornography and sought to ban some books that he said contained it from school library shelves.
Reporter Emma Murphy and Janelle Stecklein contributed to this report.
Republished in partnership with Oklahoma Voice under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Oklahoma Voice is a part of States Newsroom which is a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter.
Barbara Hoberock is a senior reporter with Oklahoma Voice. She has covered the statehouse since 1994 and served as Tulsa World Capitol Bureau chief. Hoberock covers statewide elected officials, the legislature, agencies, state issues, appellate courts and elections.
