Well, so much for local control of Oklahoma schools!
Earlier this week, Ryan Walters – once again – achieved his goal of generating publicity, attention, and notoriety after he named right-wing provocateur Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok fame to something called the Oklahoma Library Media Review Committee.
Yep, that’s right!
The crazy right-wing TikTok lady from New York who inspired bomb threats to Oklahoma schools and made her mark on an app banned by the Oklahoma government is going to review what library books public school students in our state can read.
As CEOs say when deciding not to do business in our state, “Only in Oklahoma!”
The move to appoint a sanctimonious, childless 20-something transphobic New York rabble-rouser without any formal library or education training to a library book review committee in Oklahoma naturally generated its fair share of negative national media attention.
It also riled up any informed adult with a brain that hasn’t been poisoned by the MAGA-mind virus.
For example, here's what some Oklahoma politicians said about it:
State Rep. Mark McBride, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and a frequent Walters critic, questioned the wisdom of appointing someone known for incendiary social media posts.
“I don't see any need to have a 28-year-old realtor from New York that has no children appointed to this position when there are extremely qualified parents, teachers and librarians in Oklahoma,” McBride, a Republican from Moore, said in a text message to The Associated Press.
Rep. Mickey Dollens, an Oklahoma City Democrat and former public school teacher, said Raichik's appointment also seems to violate the department's own rules for advisory committees, which require members to be “representative of the people to be served.”
“Is she a librarian? No. Does she have kids in Oklahoma schools? No. Does she even live in Oklahoma? No,” Dollens said. “How is this ‘representative of the people to be served?’”
I appreciate both McBride’s and Dollens's attempts to speak plainly and rationally about the subject, but let's be honest, the only reason Ryan and his team of public school saboteurs did this was to piss off informed normal people with brains and provide a distraction from his attempt to deconstruct Oklahoma public education from the inside.
Chode Boy basically admitted as much when he – like a barista running late for a shift at the Harbor Mountain Coffee House – dashed out to his SUV and filmed a quick video about the decision.
Check this out:
I’ve mentioned this before, but I think it’s time we have a meeting of all the sane and informed minds – or at least what’s left of them – in the Oklahoma politico-media-education ecosystem and agree to stop walking into Ryan’s blatant and obvious traps to ignite anger and outrage.
You know, instead of getting all salty when he does something that's obviously contrived to generate outrage, I say we indulge, encourage, and even praise him instead!
For example:
Mickey Dollens praised the appointment.
"I can't think of anyone else better positioned to choose library books for Oklahoma kids than a childless realtor from the New York," said State Rep. Mickey Dollens. "Oklahoma Democrats look forward to working with her to see what indoctrinating porn books should banned from Oklahoma libraries in our Republican controlled state. All hail Mr. Walters for doing what's right for all Oklahoma children."
Let’s be honest, it would be funny and interesting to see how Ryan would react to that type of stuff. Would he go even farther to the right and start organizing book burnings and forced study hall baptisms, or would he simply run around like a Cyclops with a poked-out eye yelling “Nobody” wants to put porn in schools?
Unfortunately, hating on Ryan Walters is a pretty solid business model in local media and political circles, so I doubt we’ll get anyone to bite the weird creepy hand that feeds.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
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