Oklahoma lawmakers are again calling for State Superintendent Ryan Walters to be forced out of office after money approved by the legislature for school safety wasn’t received by some districts.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Republican state Rep. Mark McBride said he’s been on the phone all day Friday about the funding issue. That funding was apparently taken back from some school districts by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.”The goal of the State Legislature is to make sure every child is safe in school. We appropriated that money with that intent,” McBride said.>> Download the KOCO 5 App”It’s very clear as to why superintendents and other leaders of school districts want enhanced security. We share that value as a legislature,” said Democratic state Rep. Cyndi Munson.Republicans and Democrats both agree that funding security in schools is at the top of their priority list. After a television report aired Thursday, those legislators worry the money they sent to schools isn’t paying for improvements.In May, 2023, the state legislature passed HB 2904, allocating funds for public schools to improve their safety, including the hiring of more officers.Some superintendents told KOCO 5 and state legislators that the Oklahoma State Department of Education is taking funds back that weren’t spent. McBride said he’s talked to school leaders who said they felt they were misled. “What the (State) Department of Education is trying to do is say that ‘if you haven’t spent the money then we’re not going to carry the money over. We’re going to take the money and do something else with it,’” McBride said. On Friday, state Democrats put out a call to create a bipartisan committee to investigate Walters, their fifth call in a year for such a committee to be formed.“It’s nearly been a year now that we have asked the Republican supermajority to do something. At the very least put a committee together, which the Speaker (of the House) has the power to do,” Munson said. “We believe his actions and inactions do rise to level of impeachment, but we need to do that investigating in order to make that case.”While McBride isn’t going that far yet, he admits that investigations into the department need to happen.“It’s time that we take the next step and look at this a little broader, maybe? There is a lot of stuff going on, they just aren’t privy to it,” he said.KOCO 5 reached out to the education department for a response from Walters but have not heard back.Top Headlines Oklahoma City church officials express grief over deaths of three members in Sundance Airport plane crash Body of Chickasha firefighter who died in Jamaica returns to Oklahoma RETRO FIND: 40 years before its 2024 Olympic debut, breakdancing thrilled audiences in the ‘80s Massive crowds of ‘Swifties’ gather, sing together in Vienna after Taylor Swift concerts canceled Person in custody after fires spark at business and nearby home in northwest Oklahoma City
Oklahoma lawmakers are again calling for State Superintendent Ryan Walters to be forced out of office after money approved by the legislature for school safety wasn’t received by some districts.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
Republican state Rep. Mark McBride said he’s been on the phone all day Friday about the funding issue. That funding was apparently taken back from some school districts by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
“The goal of the State Legislature is to make sure every child is safe in school. We appropriated that money with that intent,” McBride said.
“It’s very clear as to why superintendents and other leaders of school districts want enhanced security. We share that value as a legislature,” said Democratic state Rep. Cyndi Munson.
Republicans and Democrats both agree that funding security in schools is at the top of their priority list.
After a television report aired Thursday, those legislators worry the money they sent to schools isn’t paying for improvements.
In May, 2023, the state legislature passed HB 2904, allocating funds for public schools to improve their safety, including the hiring of more officers.
Some superintendents told KOCO 5 and state legislators that the Oklahoma State Department of Education is taking funds back that weren’t spent.
McBride said he’s talked to school leaders who said they felt they were misled.
“What the (State) Department of Education is trying to do is say that ‘if you haven’t spent the money then we’re not going to carry the money over. We’re going to take the money and do something else with it,’” McBride said.
On Friday, state Democrats put out a call to create a bipartisan committee to investigate Walters, their fifth call in a year for such a committee to be formed.
“It’s nearly been a year now that we have asked the Republican supermajority to do something. At the very least put a committee together, which the Speaker (of the House) has the power to do,” Munson said. “We believe his actions and inactions do rise to level of impeachment, but we need to do that investigating in order to make that case.”
While McBride isn’t going that far yet, he admits that investigations into the department need to happen.
“It’s time that we take the next step and look at this a little broader, maybe? There is a lot of stuff going on, they just aren’t privy to it,” he said.
KOCO 5 reached out to the education department for a response from Walters but have not heard back.
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