Why did Deborah Gist step down? Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent resigns from position in wake of feud

On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, Deborah Gist, the superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) announced that she had resigned from her position. The news of her departure comes after several months of feud between her and Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, as per New York Times.

Tulsa, a rare democratic foothold, could soon be taken over by Ryan, who is known for his conservative political views and provocative statements, according to the outlet.

Gist gave an official statement to media outlets describing the reason for her resignation.

According to 2 News Oklahoma, she believes her decision "offers the best chance for control of our schools to remain where they belong: in Tulsa with our elected Board of Education and aligned with the values of our community."

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Details about the dispute between Deborah Gist and Ryan Walters

In her letter to her district collegues and media outlets, Deborah Gist said that leaving her job on September 15 would be "the hardest thing" the Superintendant has ever done, as per Daily Beast. Referring to Ryan Walters, she added:

"It is no secret that our state superintendent has had an unrelenting focus on our district and specifically on me, and I am confident that my departure will help to keep our democratically-elected leadership and our team in charge of our schools–this week and in the future. So I’m stepping away."

According to New York Times, Walters has previously made threats about taking over the TPS school district, and expressed that he could revoke accreditation entirely, which could result in schools getting closed.

Tulsa Public Schools or TPS has around 34,000 students with majority being Hispanic and Black students coming from economically disadvantaged homes.

Walters took office only recently in January of 2023, and has since called for prayer in public schools and ordered the Ten Commandments to be hanged in classrooms, according to NBC News.

He has also prohibited school libraries from possessing and handing books with “s*xualized content” to students and has demanded that educators tell parents if their child decides to changes their gender identity, promising to protect "parents' rights."

Ryan Walters has raised a multitude of complaints against TPS specifically, as per New York Times. He cited low test scores and financial mismanagement, even talking about religious beliefs and cultural issues.

In a statement released just hours after Deborah's resignation announcement, Ryan rejoiced the move by her, saying:

"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."

He continued:

"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."

Ryan Walters then explained how financial transparency and academic outcomes will be tackled next, ending his statement with "I will always put Tulsa kids first."

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District Officials release statements after the news of Deborah's resignation

Deborah Gist had been the Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools since July 1, 2015. She was the first female superintendent in the Tulsa district's history.

Tulsa Mayor G.T Baynum released a statement about Gist's resignation as per 2 News:

"I am incredibly grateful for the service of my friend, Dr. Deborah Gist, to our community. Throughout her time as Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Gist took on some of the greatest challenges facing Tulsa students," the statement read.

Baynum then praised Gist, saying:

"She was always willing to speak truth to power on behalf of the children she has dedicated her life to serving. On their behalf, and on behalf of our city, I want to thank Dr. Gist for all she has done for Tulsa."

Other district leaders like the president of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, Mike Neal and Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin also thanked Deborah Gist for her services.