Okla. Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of EPS IN OSDE Dispute

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in favor of Edmond Public Schools in a dispute with the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

The OSDE threatened the district's accreditation over an order to remove two books from its high school libraries.

The Court says the department overstepped its authority.

In a statement, EPS stated:

“We are grateful for today’s decision from the Oklahoma Supreme Court. We appreciate their willingness to take the case and their decision. Today’s decision protects our locally elected school board’s role in creating policies that determine how library materials are selected and reviewed.”

State Superintendent Ryan Walters has issued the following statement:

“Although we are disappointed the Court issued this decision, it was made on very narrow grounds. The Court did not sign on to any of the claims made by the districts that would have affected the State Board of Education’s broad authority over school districts or the Governor's ability to approve our administrative rules.

My message to Oklahoma parents is clear: we will get porn out of schools. We will not allow a woke mob to dictate what our kids are exposed to. The legislature must act and reign out of control access to pornography in schools that our kids are exposed to.

Ambiguity and indecision are never acceptable. I will be exploring all available tools to act.”