Stitt, Walters comment on resignation of Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Gist

Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist resigned earlier this week, amid calls for her removal by State Superintendent Ryan Walters over Tulsa's plummeting public education scores during her disastrous tenure.

Below are comments from Walters and Gov. Stitt, emphasizing their view that this could be a turning point of improvement for Tulsa Public Schools. For some excellent background on the Gist situation, read this over at BatesLine.

Statement from Superintendent Ryan Walters on Deborah Gist's Resignation from Tulsa Public Schools

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (August 22, 2023) – Statement from Superintendent Ryan Walters on Deborah Gist’s resignation from Tulsa Public schools:

“I’ve been crystal clear that Tulsa Public Schools needs a dramatic change in leadership, and I am pleased to see the board taking this seriously with the removal of Deborah Gist. From day one, I called for the removal of Gist in order to get the district on a path to success. I am optimistic that this is a step in the right direction, that TPS and the community takes their situation seriously. Financial transparency and academic outcomes must come next. I will always put Tulsa kids first.” – Ryan Walters

GOVERNOR STITT PROVIDES STATEMENT FOLLOWING RESIGNATION OF SUPERINTENDENT OF TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

OKLAHOMA CITY (August 23, 2023) - Governor Kevin Stitt provided a statement today following the resignation of Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist:

“We know to be a top state that we need to build a Top Ten education system accessible to all families and students, and I am committed to working with any stakeholder who is ready to help make this a reality. As Tulsa Public Schools enters this next chapter, I urge the school board to conduct a thorough national search with the input of the Tulsa community, from past and present TPS families, local job creators, neighborhood churches, and non-profits. We are at a pivotal point in which our decisions today, as a community and as a state, will impact an entire generation of Oklahomans, and I am confident that by working together, we can ensure these decisions set these children up for success and with hope for a bright future.”