The new superintendent of public schools in Oklahoma has formed a “turnaround team” to help restore public education in the state after the departure of Christian nationalist leader Ryan Walters.
Veteran educator Lindel Fields was appointed to the position by Gov. Kevin Stitt Oct. 2, just days after Walters resigned to lead a nonprofit dedicated to fighting teachers unions.
Lindel Fields
Fields immediately wrote to educators vowing “to turn this department around and equip our students with the skills they need to make Oklahoma the best state it can be.”
Walters gained a reputation as a vindictive and polarizing figure who tried to mandate Bibles and Bible teaching in all public classrooms and tried to push through the adoption of a Scripture-based social studies curriculum for elementary school children.
Often engaged in public battles with state officials, Ryan also proposed establishing Turning Point USA chapters in every high school soon after the September assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Christian nationalist founder of TPUSA.
Walters’ religious and educational policies drew multiple lawsuits from educators, parents and clergy and by the time he left office Oklahoma was ranked 50th in education nationally. His policy proposals often came with threats to teachers and school administrators who spoke up against them.
“Ever since Gov. Stitt appointed Ryan Walters to serve as secretary of education, we have witnessed a stream of never-ending scandal and political drama,” state Attorney General Gentner Drummond said. “From the mishandling of pandemic relief funds that resulted in families buying Xboxes and refrigerators to the latest squabbling with board members over what was or wasn’t showing on TV, the Stitt-Walters era has been an embarrassment to our state.”
Stitt said he was excited by the “new mindset” Oklahoma Department of Education will develop under Fields’ leadership, KOCO-TV reported. “We’re gonna be the envy of the entire country. And it started right here, right now.”
“Our goal is simple but ambitious: to restore the Oklahoma State Department of Education to a place of service, support and excellence.”
In his letter to educators, Fields said his 15-month stint as state superintendent will focus on literacy, career preparation and teacher recruitment and retention.
“Our goal is simple but ambitious: to restore the Oklahoma State Department of Education to a place of service, support and excellence. Every decision we make will center on helping create success in the classroom and ensuring that every student in our state receives the education they deserve.”
Fields said his office will scrutinize spending in his department, provide clarity about proposed curriculums, re-evaluate statewide testing and improve the open records request process.
“Oklahoma’s turnaround will not happen from a single office or meeting — it will happen because of unity around these common goals,” he added. “Together, we will restore pride and purpose to our schools and build a system that truly serves those who serve our children.”
Fields said separately he also plans to rebuild relationships with state officials, news media, families and educators during his term, Oklahoma Voice reported.
The Tulsan has appointed a “turnaround team” to help with the undertaking and added he does not plan to run for election to the post after his 15-month appointment.
Walters’ departure and replacement has been praised both inside and outside the state.
Rachel Laser
Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, welcomed news Fields plans to abandon efforts to purchase Bibles for classrooms, which is the subject of one of AU’s lawsuits against the state.
“Fields’ spokesperson also has indicated he would like to settle the lawsuit AU and allies filed challenging Walters’ new social studies standards, which are infused with Christianity,” Laser said.
“Thanks to our lawsuits, the Oklahoma Supreme Court had blocked Walters from spending public money to buy Bibles and biblical character-education materials and from implementing the new social studies standards while our cases are pending. These are hopeful signals, but we’re staying in court to ensure that Walters’ abuses are fully reversed and do not happen again.”
Mitch Randall
Fields already has been “a breath of fresh air after the disastrous tenure of Ryan Walters,” said Mitch Randall, a Baptist pastor who is CEO of Good Faith Media and a plaintiff in both ongoing lawsuits.
“Fields has made a good-faith effort to move past the most controversial policies Walters implemented,” he said. “Maybe we can now get back to educating our students and supporting educators.”
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