Ryan Walters Wife: Meet Katie Walters

Ryan Walters Wife: Meet Katie Walters – Ryan Walters is an American educator and politician. Born on May 23, 1985, he currently serves as the elected Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2023, and previously held the position of Oklahoma Secretary of Education from September 2020 to April 2023.

Ryan Walters is a member of the Republican Party and has gained recognition for his vocal stance on various issues. He has been a prominent critic of critical race theory, LGBT student’s rights, and teacher’s unions in Oklahoma, earning him the moniker “the state’s top culture warrior” by NBC News.

Ryan Walters was raised in McAlester, Oklahoma, and pursued higher education at Harding University. He later returned to his roots to teach at McAlester High School. During his teaching career, Walters garnered accolades, including being named McAlester Teacher of the Year and being a finalist for the 2016 State Teacher of the Year award.

Ryan Walters’s commitment to public service extended beyond the classroom. In 2018, Governor Mary Fallin appointed him to the Oklahoma Community Service Commission, recognizing his dedication to community welfare. In 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt appointed Walters to the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, highlighting his ongoing contributions to the education sector.

Subsequently, in May 2019, Walters assumed the role of Executive Director at Oklahoma Achieves, a nonprofit educational organization created by the State Chamber of Oklahoma. By March 2020, this organization transitioned into an independent nonprofit entity known as Every Kid Counts Oklahoma, with Walters continuing to serve as its executive director.

On September 10, 2020, Governor Kevin Stitt nominated Ryan Walters to be Oklahoma Secretary of Education. During his tenure, Walters faced scrutiny over the Bridge the Gap program, which he oversaw. Reports emerged of few safeguards to prevent fraud or abuse within the program and federal auditors investigating the distribution of COVID-19 relief funds associated with it.

Despite calls for his resignation by Oklahoma House of Representatives Democrats, Governor Stitt’s office expressed support for Walters, emphasizing his advocacy for parental rights in education and funding students over government-controlled systems.

However, media reports revealed that Walters continued to serve as the Executive Director of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma while working as Secretary of Education, receiving a substantial salary compared to his state income. This organization received funding from national advocates of school privatization and charter school expansion, including the Walton Family Foundation and a group associated with Charles Koch.

In 2023, Walters was reappointed as Oklahoma Secretary of Education by Governor Kevin Stitt. Nevertheless, his confirmation faced obstacles in the Oklahoma Senate, leading to his eventual replacement by Katherine Curry due to legal concerns surrounding his dual roles.

Ryan Walters’s political career included a campaign for Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction in the 2022 Republican primary. He secured endorsements from Governor Kevin Stitt and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, ultimately winning the primary runoff election and prevailing in the general election against the Democratic Party’s nominee, Jena Nelson. Following his campaign, Walters faced fines for numerous violations of state campaign finance ethics rules, contesting some of the charges.

As State Superintendent, Walters took significant actions that garnered attention. He instructed the Oklahoma Department of Education to revoke the teaching licenses of two teachers who had criticized HB-1775, a law limiting certain concepts in education related to race and gender. Additionally, Walters’s efforts to enforce rules regarding library books, sex education, parental rights, and inappropriate materials faced legal challenges and questions of enforcement by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office.

Walters’s involvement in the Moms for Liberty national summit further solidified his reputation as a culture warrior. His comments during a town hall meeting sparked controversy and satire, with a notable response from The Onion.

One of the key developments during Walters’s tenure was his request to delay the vote on Tulsa Public Schools’ state accreditation. His vocal stance, which included the possibility of non-accreditation or state takeover, prompted reactions from various stakeholders, including Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist, who later resigned. Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum and several state representatives expressed concerns or opposition to a state takeover.

Ultimately, the State Board of Education voted to grant Tulsa Public Schools “accreditation with deficiencies.” Walters commended the local school board for addressing issues within the district but remained committed to further improvements.

Walters faced controversy when he shared an edited video of a Union Public Schools librarian on social media, leading to bomb threats targeting the school and the librarian’s home. Some state representatives called for Walters’s removal from office, while others did not support impeachment efforts.

In response, Walters denounced the bomb threats but did not remove the social media post.

Ryan Walters’s tenure in Oklahoma’s education and political landscape has been marked by passionate advocacy and contentious issues, reflecting the broader national debate on education policies and cultural matters.