There are probably good things to be said about Ryan Walters. Personally I’m not sure what any of them are, with one exception: he makes my job way easier than it has any right to be.
By this time it is common knowledge that two board members claim to have seen naked women on a television in Walters’ office during a meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education on July 24th. Becky Carson and Ryan Detherage saw the footage, described as “retro” in nature which purportedly showed multiple women in the full nude lying on something like a chiropractor’s table. After being confronted, Walters is said to have acted confused, ultimately getting the image off the screen and then carrying on as if nothing had happened.
In the days since, Walters has falsely claimed to have been cleared by investigators, a claim which was immediately refuted by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services.
Walters also took the unusual step of accusing Governor Kevin Stitt of colluding with Education Board members and unnamed “teacher’s unions” of coordinating to assassinate his character. This alleged scheme, which would require a high degree of coordination among groups both in and out of government. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department are currently investigating the incident.
What really happened in there? Has Ryan Walters uncovered a conspiracy between the governor, the board of education, the media, and vicious gangs of educators? Or is this just a case of a guy watching porno on the job?The latter is, perhaps, the most chilling possibility because it makes me like him a little bit.
Local News
- Oxley Nature Center is introducing all-terrain wheelchairs for disabled guests
- The Owasso Police Department posted a racially insensitive message to their Facebook promoting a blood drive
- 3 Points Realty Group, the out-of-state owners of the blighted Vista Shadow Mountain apartments, have proposed a renovation plan for the property. Neighbors appear skeptical
- The City of Tulsa has installed several boulders along the sidewalk next to the downtown bus station to discourage homeless encampments. The city is working with Beheard, a nonprofit, to help relocate those affected
- Former U.S. education official Adam Kissel filed a civil rights complaint against the University of Tulsa, alleging some programs, scholarships, and organizations are discriminatory
- The City of Tulsa allocates additional $10.8 million for public safety in new budget
State & Regional News
- The rate of immigration arrests in Oklahoma has doubled under the Trump Administration
- Oklahoma Forestry Services are using a species of parasitic wasp to help control the population of tree-killing emerald ash borer beetles
- You can check out Law and Order: Fairytale Division this weekend in Pawhuska, produced by nonprofit Growing Arts
- The American Heartland Theme Park has moved on to a new stage of development: everyone involved is suing each other
- A nickel refining operation in Lawton has nearby residents and tribal citizens’ concerned about pollution. KOSU’s Sarah Liese has a comprehensive examination of the conflict, set against a deeply researched backdrop of tribal sovereignty restrictions
- A new study ranks Oklahoma dead last for public education
Jobs & Opportunities
- The City of Tulsa is looking for an entry level Streets and Stormwater Operator
- The City is also looking for Parks Utility Workers
- The Hillcrest Healthcare System needs Registered Nurses
- AAON is hiring a Warehouse Operator
- Housing Forward seeks an Office Manager | Full-time | Salary $45,000-$60,000
- Tusla For You seeks a Business Analyst | Full-time | Salary $103,000-$120,000
