Oklahoma Board of Education holds off on decision to allow lawmakers to attend executive sessions

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The state board of education meeting focused on teaching the Bible in schools, the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump and immigration.

One issue many protesters were waiting for the meeting to decide was whether three legislators would be allowed to attend the board’s executive session.

“We have a senator who has requested to be in executive session, which was on the agenda today, but we have a number of representatives and senators who are requesting to be in,” said State Supervisor Ryan Walters.

The Board held a closed session for approximately one and a half hours and made no decision on Senator Mary Boren’s request for permission to enter a closed session.

“I’m going to ask the Attorney General to explain. I have left-wing Democrats like Mary who want to come in and make it so that we can’t remove pedophiles from the classroom. That’s what she wants to do, she wants to disrupt that process,” Supt. Walters said.

The attorney general previously invoked a provision that allows lawmakers to attend any executive session covered by the Open Sessions Act if they serve on a committee that deals with agency operations.

Senator Boren serves on the Senate Education Committee, so FOX25 asked Supt. Walters what further clarification he would like.

“If they have jurisdiction,” Supt. Walters said. “That’s what we asked for, to show us whether they have jurisdiction over this type of session or that type of session? We have legal advice that says they have absolutely no jurisdiction. They told us the Attorney General told them they do. So we asked for more information and that’s where we need more clarity on what type of jurisdiction do individual legislators have?”

FOX25 spoke with Senator Boren after the meeting and she said:

“I encourage Supt. Walters to review what the Bible says about people who slander and incite strife. These people are called disgusting. There is no other way to interpret his persistent slander of people who are put in positions of authority to hold him accountable. He persistently slanders these people, calls them names and says the most vile things about us, when we are obligated by law to hold him accountable. Nothing I do in my desire to observe the executive session is intended to prevent the removal of teachers who harm children. If he wanted to remove teachers who harm children, he would welcome legislators. All he wants to do is target teachers and slander them with baseless attacks on their character and prevent them from defending themselves.”