Oklahoma teachers are lauding the departure of former state superintendent Ryan Walters.
Some are even obtaining new teaching certificates to remove his name from their credentials. Sandra Valentine, an educator who taught for about 15 years and now lives in Oklahoma City, immediately went to her shredder.
"Reprint your teaching certificate with the new interim superintendent's signature," she wrote on Facebook. "Tag a teacher friend. You're welcome."
In the comments, she included instructions on how to access the new paperwork on the Oklahoma State Department of Education website. Her friends wrote that they were doing the same in the replies. And dozens of teachers posted in Facebook groups that they would take similar actions.
One was Norman educator Claudia Swisher. Even though she's retired, she was giddy to get Walters' name off her certificate and have it replaced with Lindel Fields, his interim replacement.
"This is a profession that means everything in the world to me," Swisher said. "And it was being sullied by somebody who didn't care. We weren't important. Our kids were not something that he valued. And he's gone."
State Department of Education officials said they can't track the number of teachers who have gone in to re-print their certification, though a spokeswoman said she's "noticed" the trend.
It follows days of celebration at local restaurants and venues.
Oklahoma education advocates are organizing a tongue-in-cheek "farewell party" for Walters on the north state Capitol Lawn on Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma City.
Organizers say there will be food trucks, education groups and a DJ.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
