A few days after insulting every Oklahoma teacher, principal, superintendent, bus driver, janitor, cafeteria worker, guidance counselor, crossing guard, teacher's aid and just about every other person risking their health to make sure our public schools stay open during a pandemic, Ryan Walters – the guy Governor Stitt put in charge of sabotaging public education in the state – is now desperately trying to restore his image and reputation before the 2022 State School Superintendant election.
It started yesterday when he shared a video on social media announcing he was on his way to sub at South Santa Fe Charter Schools – a district that, ironically enough, was the first in the state to defy Governor Kevin Stitt's ban on mask mandates in Oklahoma classrooms.
Check it out:
Based on how frequently he looks at the road, I bet Sarah Stitt is driving the car. https://t.co/2cmMD6PbGQ
— The Lost Ogle (@TheLostOgle) January 14, 2022
Seriously, was the guy subbing a drivers ed class while shooting the video? Is Janet Barresi flying on her broom in front of the car? I appreciate his effort to keep his eyes on the road, but trust the driver!
Once Walters got to the school, he put on a mask and heroically taught a social studies class, helping save education in the state, and ensuring that all public schools remain open for sick students to infect their classmates and teachers.
Well, at least I think that's what he wants the public to think...
Well, @sec_walters said he would do his part so I called him first thing this morning. Now he’s subbing in 8th grade social studies…Turns out he knows a bit about the constitution and he has a background check. Let’s go!!#oklaed pic.twitter.com/QBbdiZXzbI
— Chris Brewster (@CbrewsterOKC) January 13, 2022
Although I'm sure Walters had fun moonlighting as a substitute teacher in front of a camera for a couple of hours, it's pretty obvious that this whole thing was nothing more than a hastily-planned publicity stunt designed to restore his reputation, and flip the script on his boneheaded gaffe that showed how out of touch he is with what's going on at the frontlines of Oklahoma schools as they attempt to navigate these Omnicron-infected waters.
Naturally, some folks in the local media took the bait:
The need for substitute teachers in Oklahoma has gotten so dire amid a spike in coronavirus cases that Oklahoma Education Secretary Ryan Walters is pitching in.https://t.co/ek5w8Li07l
— KOKH FOX 25 (@OKCFOX) January 14, 2022
Other outlets also took the bait, but were a bit more honest in their headline:
Oklahoma Secretary of Education fills in as substitute teacher for a couple of hours following controversial tweet https://t.co/scEesSspCA
— KFOR (@kfor) January 14, 2022
Anyway, it will be interesting to see what Walters does next in Operation Restore Image. Next week, I bet we'll see a video of him slicing up rectangular pizza in the cafeteria, or driving around a school bus while quickly glancing at the road ahead. You know, anything to keep these public schools open while a mutated strain of a novel Coronvorus surges through the state, infecting the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.
