TULSA, Okla. — About two hundred parents and community members gathered Thursday morning outside of Carnegie Elementary School in south Tulsa.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters visited the school to praise teachers and students for making great strides in literacy.

Tulsa Public Schools says Walters and other elected officials spent the morning observing students and educators engaging with Amira’s literacy platform.

Tulsa State Representative Jon Waldron, a former teacher, stood with protesters holding signs across the street from the school.

Waldron said, “We have a state superintendent who seems to advocate for private schools and to condemn our public schools. He looks like he is trying to weaponize our public school system against the people in our community, so I am here to talk to the people who are standing up against him, standing up for our public schools, and I am drawing inspiration from their stories.”

Briana Shea, with Tulsans for Democracy, helped organize the protest and said the group is actively working to get Ryan Walters out of office.

“He’s dangerous for our children, Shea says, We’re here to show our support for the children in our schools and also to show our distaste for Ryan Walters.”