Protesters Gather at Oklahoma Capitol Demanding State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ Impeachment

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Hundreds of Oklahomans rallied at the State Capitol over the weekend, calling for the impeachment of State Superintendent Ryan Walters. The protest comes on the heels of a new national education ranking that placed Oklahoma 50th out of 51 (including Washington, D.C.) for overall public education quality.

Why Protesters Are Speaking Out

Organizers say the latest demonstration reflects growing frustration with Walters’ leadership of Oklahoma’s public school system.

The protest was sparked in part by a WalletHub analysis, which ranked Oklahoma near the bottom nationally for student performance, graduation rates, school safety, and bullying prevention.

The analysis considered multiple factors, including:

• Standardized test scores

• High school graduation rates

• Incidents of bullying and school violence

• Teacher-to-student ratios

A Pattern of Protests

This is not the first time Walters has faced public demonstrations. In recent months, teachers, parents, and education advocates have organized rallies urging greater investment in public schools and changes to education policy.

What’s Next

While impeachment proceedings would require legislative action, protesters say they hope their continued visibility will put pressure on lawmakers to act.

“Our children deserve better,” one attendee said. “We can’t keep being last in the country for education.”

The State Superintendent’s office has not issued a formal statement in response to the weekend protest.

Radio Oklahoma News Network will continue to follow developments at the Capitol and in the state’s public education rankings