Oklahoma House Democrats have voiced their opinions on the recent overhaul at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which was announced by Governor Stitt. In response, Democratic legislators, many of whom are former educators, weighed in on the potential impact of these changes. "Today, Governor Stitt announced drastic changes to OSDE," House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson of Oklahoma City stated. "I want to congratulate Superintendent Lindel Fields, and I look forward to meeting him and working with him on behalf of our students, teachers, and families." Munson expressed hope for improvement under the new leadership, contrasted with the previous superintendent's performance. She noted the importance of setting a higher standard and the challenge of addressing longstanding issues in the public education system, according to a statement obtained by the Oklahoma House.
Munson also criticized Republican priorities, citing tax cuts for the wealthy and public tax dollar investments in private school vouchers, contributing to the underfunding of public education in Oklahoma. House Assistant Democratic Leader Melissa Provenzano of Tulsa called attention to two critical areas: the need to stop the teacher exodus and to realign the superintendent's job to its true north. "We have everything we need to get this job done. We just need the right person to blaze the path," Provenzano told the Oklahoma House. She expressed her willingness to assist Mr. Fields and expressed optimism for his success.
Representative John Waldron of Tulsa also responded, stating, "I'm glad the new superintendent showed respect for teachers and for civility," which he viewed as a welcome change from Ryan Walters' methods. Rep. Michelle McCane of Tulsa stressed the necessity for strong public and legislative oversight, opposing any move to make the superintendent a governor-appointed position, as she believes such a change would consolidate power and remove essential checks and balances. "The Legislature’s past decision to put OSDE appointments into the governor’s hands is part of why we’re in this mess," McCane said, as per the Oklahoma House's release.
Additionally, Representative Jacob Rosecrants of Norman expressed his hope that after cleaning up what he referred to as the "mess" left by Ryan Walters, "Mr. Fields and the administration will think outside the box to solve actual problems." Rosecrants criticized the failed education policies of over-testing, private school vouchers, profiting, and vilifying teachers, as shared in his statement to the Oklahoma House.
