Last Friday, the chairman of the House Education Appropriations and Budget Committee issued a statement in which he said the State Department of Education under Ryan Walters has simply refused to share information about any number of policies and procedures.
The response from Walters’ Senior Advisor, Matt Langston, was that McBride is a “whiney Democrat,” crying for attention while promoting failing policies.
Langston also claims McBride is “promoting porn in schools.”
Asked what he’s doing to promote pornography in public schools, McBride’s response was simple: “Well, I’m not. I mean, I’m totally against that, and anybody who knows me would know.”
He’s also clearly not a Democrat, despite Langston’s apparent misconception, or possible lie (see below).
Rep. McBride is a lifelong Republican, and has served in the State House for 12 years (he’s term limited following the current session.)
He has filled leadership positions, including his current post as Assistant Floor Leader, formerly chaired the House Common Education Committee, and currently chairs the Education Budget and Appropriations Committee.
In that capacity, he tells KRMG, he has asked for information on any number of occasions regarding basic functions of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE).
Walters, he says, has refused to answer questions about federal grants, teacher recruitment and bonuses, and much more.
He has refused to appear before legislative committees, and when KRMG contacted his office for a response to this story, his Director of Communications told our reporter “Due to his schedule, I’m afraid Superintendent Walters won’t be able to accommodate your interview request.”
Dan Isett then went on to write that (Senior Policy Advisor) ”Matt Langston issued a statement responding to Mr. McBride on Friday, which I’ve attached. McBride is a nonserious liberal with no solutions for education. He functions as a mouthpiece for the unions.”
Langston’s response, received by KRMG on a PDF bearing the letterhead of State Superintendent Ryan Walters, was as follows:
“I’ve never seen a more whiney Democrat in my life. McBride continues to cry for attention while promoting failed policies, backing woke indoctrination, and promoting porn in schools while working hand in hand with the Democrats and the liberal media. He’s made every union leader and liberal extremist proud. No Oklahoman can take him seriously.”
McBride tells KRMG all he wanted was proof that there was any pornography in schools.
“All they can send over is pictures and photos of stuff that was taken off of some deal called ‘Libs for TikTok,’ I don’t even know what it is,” McBride told KRMG.
He said about a half dozen books did get removed from school libraries - while Joy Hofmeister was still state superintendent.
“I have yet to see any solid evidence of a book that’s been on a shelf since Ryan Walters,” McBride continued. “Seen a lot of phony stuff, but never an actual book that says ‘Tulsa Public Schools’ or ‘Oklahoma City Public Schools’ or anything like that.
Walters has removed the state from its American Library Association membership, and filed objections to some 200 book titles - almost all of which feature LGBTQ characters, and almost none of which actually contain overt, explicit sexual material.
“We’ve seen this in Nazi Germany,” McBride said. “What happens when we start burning the classics?”
More to the point, he wondered aloud whose opinion should guide such draconian decisions.
“Who’s the decision maker? Is it a group of people that align with Ryan Walters?” he asked, rhetorically.
He believes Walters simply wants to expand his own political power, and does not blush at threats or intimidations to achieve his aims.
“Most of the superintendents are fearful of him, you know, taking accreditation away,” McBride told KRMG. “I think, you now, having a tyrant for superintendent of public instruction - that’s not what we want.”
Wednesday, KRMG will post part two of this in-depth report.
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