Mother yells at State Superintendent Ryan Walters while being arrested during Oklahoma BOE meeting
Before being escorted out of the room, the mother told someone in the crowd to call the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office
Before being escorted out of the room, the mother told someone in the crowd to call the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office
Before being escorted out of the room, the mother told someone in the crowd to call the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office
A mother was arrested during Thursday morning's Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, yelling at State Superintendent Ryan Walters before being escorted out of the room.
KOCO 5's Kolby Terrell was at the meeting, recording a video of Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers arresting a person who spoke after their public comment time was over, and the next person was at the podium. Their son could be heard in the background.
"Y'all are arresting me in front of my children because this man over here is a bigot and a bully, picking on trans kids, picking on disabled kids, picking on my kids. My kids are crying, Ryan Walters," the mother said while looking at the state superintendent.
The mother then told someone in the crowd to call the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials said the mother was arrested on complaints of willfully disrupting state business/public meeting and a person causing disruption willfully refuse to disperse or leave.
The agenda for Thursday's meeting has items regarding accreditation status for Tulsa Public Schools and discussions on teacher certifications.
People camped out overnight so they could attend Thursday morning's meeting. Some who wanted to speak during public comment have been focused on controversial issues that have made headlines — like race and gender in schools and how State Superintendent Ryan Walters says Oklahoma will not comply with a new Title IX rule.
Earlier this week, Walters directed Oklahoma school districts to disregard the Biden administration’s new Title IX rule. He said on KOCO 5 News at 9 on Wednesday that Oklahoma will continue to enforce its ban, calling the rule illegal and unconstitutional.
"We have sent him a letter. We have sent the secretary (of education) a letter saying we will not comply with this. We have sent all the schools a letter telling them not to comply with this," Walters said on KOCO 5 News at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. "This is completely illegal and an unconstitutional rule. It endangers our girls."
Before being arrested, the mother addressed Walters and the rest of the Oklahoma State Board of Education about the importance of the new Title IX rule.
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