It's been a couple of months since Ryan Walters – the right-wing Manchurian Candidate who the State GOP constructed to help sabotage Oklahoma public schools – pissed off the local education complex with his stupid remarks about how schools were dealing with the Omnicron surge.
With that crisis now behind us, the candidate for State Schools Superintendent is now sounding off on the touchstone conservative media-manufactured crisis of the day – Critical Race Theory.
Check out this video he filmed in front of a bookcase that, after some zoom-in analysis, has some curious titles on it.
First of all, I have a quick suggestion for Secretary Walters – lay off the Mountain Dew, buddy! Seriously, did he drink two juices at lunch as opposed to just one? I couldn't tell if he was playing the culture wars card and giving a speech about the made-up issue of critical race theory being taught in schools, or telling me about the latest line of Micro Machines.
Naturally, the speech ruffled the feathers of educators who aren't right-wing trolls and morons. Here's what a real-life Oklahoma "Teacher of the Year" had to say:
The fact that Walters has such warped views shouldn't be surprised. For giggles, I took a look at some of the books that he keeps on the bookshelf behind him. One caught my attention:
In case you can't tell, the title of the book next to Plutarch is Intellectuals and Race. It was written by Thomas Sowell – an acclaimed black libertarian contrarian who was a mentor to Clarence Thomas, and claims wild things like institutional racism don't exist, and that it's just a social construct of those pesk left-wing intellectuals. You know, the ones who Walters claims want to indoctrinate schools with a leftist agenda by teaching an honest and factual history of race in America.
Naturally, Sowell's generally rejected views are welcomed by rural Oklahoma white guys who desperately want to believe racism in America isn't real. I bet Sowell's controversial writings really spoke to Walters, confirmed his own beliefs, and told him exactly what he wants to hear. I assume that's why it's on his bookshelf. It also makes you wonder what other types of books Walters has hidden in his closet where no one else can see them.
Anyway, with other manufactured controversies floating around this state during election season, I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard of Walters. I bet he'll soon sound off on trans athletes playing sports, or maybe even regurgitate the Common Core debate! Who knows?! Either way, stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
