Both Republican candidates for state superintendent have resolved ethics concerns of campaign video content filmed in public schools, an election watchdog agency announced.
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission issued a public statement Thursday acknowledging it received a complaint against James Taylor over a campaign video filmed inside a Little Axe High School classroom. Taylor is a history and government teacher at the school, located in Norman.
While investigating the issue, the commission said it discovered similar conduct by Robert Franklin, who had recorded campaign-related content at Charles Page High School in his hometown of Sand Springs.
The commission said it considers both matters resolved because the candidates promptly removed the content. State ethics rules generally prohibit the use of public funds, property or time for political purposes except in limited circumstances, according to the commission’s statement.
The two candidates are running in an Aug. 25 runoff election for the Republican nomination for state superintendent, an office that oversees Oklahoma’s public education system. The winner will face Democrat Jennettie Marshall in the Nov. 3 General Election.
Franklin said his campaign took down a summer interview he filmed with his daughter on his cellphone. He noted he is not employed by any public school district.
“We have not used any school resources in the work we have been doing as a part of the campaign, and we understand the reasons that ethics rules are in place,” Franklin said.
In an Aug. 1 statement, Taylor took full responsibility for campaign videos he filmed in his classroom and said he had no intention to misuse school resources. In one video, he discussed his plan to support rural schools, if elected as state superintendent, and in another he criticized former White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Taylor said his campaign removed the content after the superintendent of Little Axe Public Schools reached out to him with concerns.
A campaign spokesperson said on Thursday that Taylor had no further comment on the matter.
Reporter Emma Murphy contributed to this report.
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