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Oklahoma ed board members continue disagreement over meeting minutes from social studies passage

State Board of Education members at the May 21, 2025 board meeting.
Oklahoma State Department of Education
State Board of Education members at the May 21, 2025 board meeting.

New Oklahoma State Board of Education members continued their pushback over what is usually a common procedural practice — certifying meeting minutes.

At last month’s meeting, board member Ryan Deatherage objected to certifying the minutes of the February board meeting, in which controversial social studies standards were passed. Deatherage had been the only “no” vote on the standards, but the meeting minutes said he made the motion to approve them.

Other members also complained about the lack of context around the board’s discussions.

At this month’s meeting, according to board members, the minutes had not been corrected in the binders they were given. The board’s executive secretary told members in order to “save cost” on reprinting, the corrected minutes were not in their physical packets.

Board member Chris Van Dehende appeared frustrated with the process.

“[Can] all of us just recognize that whatever changes need to be made, we need to communicate those? We need to see the drafts in plenty of time so we don’t have this issue again,” Van Dehende said.

That, and because of a pending lawsuit over the social studies standards, members voted again to table the February meeting minutes.

“The lawsuit’s probably not going to be over in a month,” board member Mike Tinney said. “I’m just not comfortable [the February minutes] accurately reflect what happened at the meeting.”

State Superintendent Ryan Walters cast the lone “no” vote on the motion.

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Beth reports on education topics for StateImpact Oklahoma.
StateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. It's a reporting project and collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU, with broadcasts heard on NPR Member stations.
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