ryan 'I know what's best for your (our) children' walters
- Thread starter PF5
- Start date
PF5
Deputy
Why more than 350 groups are asking the Legislature to remove Ryan Walters from office the oklahoman
More than 350 organizations ― from both in and outside Oklahoma — that support LGBTQ+ rights sent a letter this week to leaders in the Oklahoma Legislature calling for the immediate removal of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, saying his policies “disproportionately target and impact transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive youth.”
The letter, posted on the website of GLAAD — which describes itself as a group that “works to ensure that the news media is accurately and fairly representing LGBTQ people in its reporting” — was organized by the Oklahoma-based LGBTQ+ group Freedom Oklahoma. It comes in the wake of the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Owasso student who identified as gender-expansive and used they/them pronouns. The case has drawn international attention.
...
"Unfortunately, just as we predicted, the situation has further worsened," Munson said. "Mental health crisis lines have received a disturbing influx in calls since Benedict’s death. This is a direct result of the State Board of Education and the state superintendent’s harmful rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ+ people.
"We cannot tolerate this blatant hatred and terrorizing in Oklahoma. When you discriminate against some Oklahomans, you discriminate against all Oklahomans. Many aspects of the State Board of Education need investigation, but right now, there is one common denominator creating consistent harm, and that is the state superintendent. It is not a coincidence that violence and pain toward minority communities has only snowballed under his leadership.”
...
In a statement, Walters called the letter “a standard tactic of the radical left and they will stop at nothing to destroy the country and our state. Their woke desperate political game has led them to exploit the death of a young Oklahoman. I will never stop fighting, I will not play woke gender games, and I will not back down to a woke mob.”
On its website, GLAAD said the letter also was signed by a handful of “notable public figures,” including singer and actor Kristin Chenoweth, who’s from Broken Arrow, which like Owasso is a suburb of Tulsa.
The letter said, “Walters is responsible for fostering a culture of violence and hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Oklahoma schools. Just a month ago, he passed an emergency rule to prevent an Oklahoma teen who was fearful of being bullied from changing his gender on school files. He called for the firing of a principal who performed in drag on weekends, which led to violent threats against the educator.”In December, the state Board of Education, led by Walters, finalized rules that would prohibit school districts and local schools from altering sex or gender designations in past student records without the board’s authorization, an action that already has drawn a lawsuit. He also called for the firing of a former principal in the Western Heights Public Schools district who worked during his personal time as a drag queen. The Western Heights school board accepted that principal’s resignation in February.
The letter cites the appointment by Walters of Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the conservative “Libs of TikTok” social media account, to state Education Department’s Library Media Advisory Committee, as an example of how Walters “shows a willful rejection of his duty to protect the health and welfare of the children in Oklahoma’s public schools and instead has created an environment that allows for hostility and harm for youth like Nex.”
“In the weeks following Nex’s death, numerous youths have come forward to detail the rampant harassment of Oklahoma’s 2SLGBTQI+ students by peers, teachers, and administrators,” the letter said. “We are outraged that a climate of hate and bigotry has been not only allowed to thrive, but encouraged by the person who is responsible for education in the state of Oklahoma. State officials must be held accountable for bringing the politics of hate into Oklahoma’s schools and making our most vulnerable youth pay the price.”
Nicole McAfee, the executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, noted that Walters and the state Board of Education last week passed a slew of administrative rules changes, including one that eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs from Oklahoma’s public school system.
“It's yet another example that not only is Walters out of touch with the needs of Oklahoma students, teachers and families, but he is willing to continue his work to make public schools in Oklahoma hostile for 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC students, no matter the cost,” McAfee said. “All Oklahoma students deserve the safety to show up and learn as their full selves, and that is not possible so long as Ryan Walters is allowed to remain in his position.”
More than 350 organizations ― from both in and outside Oklahoma — that support LGBTQ+ rights sent a letter this week to leaders in the Oklahoma Legislature calling for the immediate removal of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, saying his policies “disproportionately target and impact transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive youth.”
The letter, posted on the website of GLAAD — which describes itself as a group that “works to ensure that the news media is accurately and fairly representing LGBTQ people in its reporting” — was organized by the Oklahoma-based LGBTQ+ group Freedom Oklahoma. It comes in the wake of the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Owasso student who identified as gender-expansive and used they/them pronouns. The case has drawn international attention.
...
"Unfortunately, just as we predicted, the situation has further worsened," Munson said. "Mental health crisis lines have received a disturbing influx in calls since Benedict’s death. This is a direct result of the State Board of Education and the state superintendent’s harmful rhetoric surrounding LGBTQ+ people.
"We cannot tolerate this blatant hatred and terrorizing in Oklahoma. When you discriminate against some Oklahomans, you discriminate against all Oklahomans. Many aspects of the State Board of Education need investigation, but right now, there is one common denominator creating consistent harm, and that is the state superintendent. It is not a coincidence that violence and pain toward minority communities has only snowballed under his leadership.”
...
In a statement, Walters called the letter “a standard tactic of the radical left and they will stop at nothing to destroy the country and our state. Their woke desperate political game has led them to exploit the death of a young Oklahoman. I will never stop fighting, I will not play woke gender games, and I will not back down to a woke mob.”
On its website, GLAAD said the letter also was signed by a handful of “notable public figures,” including singer and actor Kristin Chenoweth, who’s from Broken Arrow, which like Owasso is a suburb of Tulsa.
The letter said, “Walters is responsible for fostering a culture of violence and hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Oklahoma schools. Just a month ago, he passed an emergency rule to prevent an Oklahoma teen who was fearful of being bullied from changing his gender on school files. He called for the firing of a principal who performed in drag on weekends, which led to violent threats against the educator.”In December, the state Board of Education, led by Walters, finalized rules that would prohibit school districts and local schools from altering sex or gender designations in past student records without the board’s authorization, an action that already has drawn a lawsuit. He also called for the firing of a former principal in the Western Heights Public Schools district who worked during his personal time as a drag queen. The Western Heights school board accepted that principal’s resignation in February.
The letter cites the appointment by Walters of Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the conservative “Libs of TikTok” social media account, to state Education Department’s Library Media Advisory Committee, as an example of how Walters “shows a willful rejection of his duty to protect the health and welfare of the children in Oklahoma’s public schools and instead has created an environment that allows for hostility and harm for youth like Nex.”
“In the weeks following Nex’s death, numerous youths have come forward to detail the rampant harassment of Oklahoma’s 2SLGBTQI+ students by peers, teachers, and administrators,” the letter said. “We are outraged that a climate of hate and bigotry has been not only allowed to thrive, but encouraged by the person who is responsible for education in the state of Oklahoma. State officials must be held accountable for bringing the politics of hate into Oklahoma’s schools and making our most vulnerable youth pay the price.”
Nicole McAfee, the executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, noted that Walters and the state Board of Education last week passed a slew of administrative rules changes, including one that eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs from Oklahoma’s public school system.
“It's yet another example that not only is Walters out of touch with the needs of Oklahoma students, teachers and families, but he is willing to continue his work to make public schools in Oklahoma hostile for 2SLGBTQ+ and BIPOC students, no matter the cost,” McAfee said. “All Oklahoma students deserve the safety to show up and learn as their full selves, and that is not possible so long as Ryan Walters is allowed to remain in his position.”
Heart Smiles
New member
Smart phones in the hands of students pose far more risk to students than anything that Ryan Walters has wanted banned. The problems cell phones have created for children needs attention. The access to social media to bully and harass other students, the porn, the predatory behaviors etc. goes on continuously. Ask a teacher what it is like to teach when half the students are on cell phones. Some schools and teachers have policies but the policies are difficult to enforce. There would be a lot of opposition to a statewide policy of no cell phones at schools. My understanding is that research has shown detrimental effects on children’s education when cell phones are available to them during school hours.
Agree with everything in this post....except the first sentence.
Heart Smiles
New member
As you disagree with the first sentence I realize that it is not specific and someone would need to be a mind reader to see my thought process. I appreciate your disagreement. Thanks.
You couldn’t have asked him to clarify why instead of your response? Maybe he didn’t have time to go into why.
Stillwater Townie
Deputy
I would imagine in other states where education is taken more seriously and ranked much higher than Oklahoma that mobile phone usage in schools ranks as a far greater issue or worry than constantly being anti LGBTQ+. The less devotion to culture war, the better it must be for students in other states.
I didn't really have a problem with his/her response.
Maybe I misunderstood that first quote....and as s/he says it was not specific and I would need to be a mind reader to see his/her thought process.
So to clarify my thought process in disagreeing with what I UNDERSTOOD the statement to be:
-Ryan Walters has wanted to ban things that are actually crucial to the safety and well-being of some students, particularly those of the LGBTQ+ community.
-IMO, the dangers of banning those things is more dangerous to them than smart phones in their hands.
I mean, I agree that with regards to Walter's book banning stance....smart phones in the hands of students pose far more of a risk than any piece of literature out there, any book he is trying to ban, in the hands of children is.
This could have been a "double negative" type misunderstanding.
PF5
Deputy
here's a double negative for ya: ryan walters
Stillwater Townie
Deputy
Enid editorial:
Banning cell phones in school classrooms worth a try
https://www.enidnews.com/opinion/ed...cle_1b95d3fe-d525-11ee-9c3b-cfd6c4723c9e.htmlStillwater Townie
Deputy
Westboro Baptist Church is going to be showing up in Owasso March 6th. I hope Owasso makes them feel much less than welcome. If they don't, they may decide they need to move their church from Topeka to Owasso, since Kansas can't ban abortion. Perish the thought!
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