Oklahoma’s new school superintendent has a low profile, and that’s just how some of the highest-ranking Republicans in the state want it.
Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Lindel Fields last week to replace Ryan Walters — the MAGA-aligned former state superintendent who recently left the role for a job at a conservative nonprofit — and made clear he wants to see a change in direction. Republicans see Fields, who has little to no national profile and previously retired from education, as someone who can help the state improve its education ranking as he finishes out Walters’ term.
“I do trust Gov. Stitt’s appointment and his ability to do that,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin told NOTUS in reference to Stitt’s pick for the job. “But I don’t know who this guy is.”
“The governor’s made it very clear he wants to change our education system to get it moving in the right direction,” Mullin said. “I’m excited about it.”
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Like Mullin, Sen. James Lankford was unfamiliar with Fields, telling NOTUS on Friday that he didn’t know him yet.
Asked whether Fields should take a similar approach to education as Walters, Lankford responded, “Everyone takes their own path on that, so no.”
In his time as superintendent, Walters pushed a far-right agenda. He requested $3 million from the state Legislature to put a King James Version of the Bible in every classroom, which matched the description of a Trump-endorsed Bible. He created an ideology test with conservative nonprofit PragerU for teachers who transferred into Oklahoma from blue states, and vowed to put a chapter of Turning Point USA in every state high school just days before his resignation. Attorney General Gentner Drummond called for an audit of the Oklahoma State Department of Education after Walters resigned.
Stitt and Walters had a contentious relationship over the years. At one point, Stitt replaced several board members, some of whom were Walters’ allies, because he claimed the board was too political.
Fields’ public comments have made clear he’s not pleased with the state of Oklahoma’s schools.
“Turning around a ship takes time, but in the next 15 months we can calm the waters, rebuild trust and build a strong foundation for the future of Oklahoma schools,” Fields said in a teary speech last week where he was officially announced for the role by the governor.
Fields started his career in the 1990s as a prison instructor. He then spent two decades at Tri County Technology Center, eventually rising to be superintendent.
He has crossed paths with Stitt several times in the past, including when Stitt and Walters congratulated Fields on his retirement after 20 years at the tech school.
In addition to appointing Fields, Stitt took the opportunity to make several changes within the Oklahoma State Board of Education. Stitt appointed two new members to the board: former board member Brian Bobek and former Native American liaison to the governor Wes Nofire. The appointees will replace former board members Sarah Lepak and Zach Archer.
Stitt also floated the idea in a press release last week that the state superintendent should always be appointed by the governor rather than elected, which voters would need to approve through a ballot initiative. He cited a historic lack of alignment between the two positions.
“Our students are too precious of a resource to leave to the whims of politicians,” Stitt said in a statement. “Now is the perfect time to consider depoliticizing the Department of Education by allowing future governors to appoint the role of superintendent.”
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This story was produced as part of a partnership between NOTUS and Oklahoma Watch.
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