Oklahoma State Superintendent Demands to Know ‘Every Dollar’ Spent on Diversity Agenda

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters demanded to know “every dollar” that has been spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at state universities. 

Walters wrote a letter demanding that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education provide him with details on DEI spending from the past 10 years with a deadline of February 1st. 

The Oklahoma State Board of Regents for higher education oversees 25 different colleges and universities in the state’s higher education system. 

His letter read “I want an overview of your staffing and the colleges underneath your oversight as the Chancellor of Oklahoma Higher Regents within every DEI program or … expenditures.” 

The State Regents Associate Vice Chancellor for Communications Angela Caddell provided a statement to Campus Reform, telling the outlet “We are working with our state system colleges and universities to compile the information requested.” 

Meanwhile, Walters explained the necessity of his letter, posing a question in a statement to KOCO News 5 where he remarked “As we’re looking at higher ed budgets, are we actually spending money that equates to student outcomes to meet high workforce shortage areas or are we spending it on left-wing indoctrination?”

He went on to note “I want full transparency. I want to ensure that our colleges aren’t more concerned with indoctrination than educating our kids.” 

Walters was appointed as the Secretary of Public Education in 2020 by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt before he was then elected to serve as State Superintendent in the 2022 midterms. 

The letter comes after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s Office released a memo that required public colleges and universities in the state to report their spending on DEI initiatives. It was revealed that $28 million, including $15 million taxpayer dollars, were spent on DEI and Critical Race Theory initiatives in the state’s higher education system in 2022-2023.

Despite being based in Critical Race Theory, the DEI agenda has spread into higher education in various different states with Republican leadership. Nikole Hannah-Jones, the author of the 1619 Project, is set to receive more than $100k from Indiana taxpayers for two days of work, which includes giving speeches and attending a dinner party. 

Spencer Lindquist is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerLndqst and reach out at slindquist@breitbart.com.