Drummond calls for state auditor to investigate OSDE

By John Dobberstein, Editor

The drama surrounding the state’s educational system is threatening to linger even longer into the gubernatorial campaign after Attorney General Gentner Drummond called for an investigative audit Wednesday of the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

In a letter to Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, Drummond cited concerns raised by current and former OSDE staff regarding spending practices under Walters’ tenure, which ended this week as he took a job with the Teachers Freedom Alliance.

In his letter, Drummond told Byrd she should be, “well aware” that Walters, “has a documented history of mismanaging tax dollars, as it was your office that exposed Mr. Walters for granting ‘blanket approval’ for families to purchase non-educational items.”

Drummond said that, combined with “new and ongoing allegations of misspending” compelled him to order the audit. He has statutory authority to order the audit covering the period from Jan. 9, 2023 through September 30 of this year.

Drummond told Byrd he expected “prompt and thorough attention to this matter,” but did not lay out further expectations or deadlines for the probe to be completed.

Drummond, who has been sharply critical of Ryan’s policy proposals, entered the governor’s race in January, along with several other hopefuls who have announced.

In officially announcing his resignation Tuesday, Walters said his key accomplishments was “empowering parents and students” by making Oklahoma “#1” in the U.S. for school choice, defending religious freedoms in the St. Isidore case, ending “burdensome” state testing and eliminating DEI, CRT and “woke indoctrination” from schools.

He also touted “historic” investment in teachers with performance-based merit pay, signing and retention bonuses, and efforts to advance literacy and academic excellence and increase school safety. Walters’ tenure was also marked by numerous controversies. As of Wednesday afternoon he had not commented publicly about Drummond’s request.