Oklahoma’s conservative Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, and its conservative Republican schools superintendent, Ryan Walters, have been seen as allies during the Trump administration. However, a recent disagreement has brought their partnership into question.
Walters proposed new rules that would require Oklahoma public schools to collect citizenship information from students, a move that was met with opposition from Governor Stitt. Stitt, known for his strong stance on border security and support for Trump’s immigration policies, drew the line at targeting undocumented students in schools. He believed that going after children was a step too far, even for conservatives.
The clash between Stitt and Walters reflects a larger debate within the conservative movement about the limits of acceptable policies on immigration. While Stitt supports enforcing immigration laws, he emphasized the importance of fixing the immigration system rather than targeting children.
Walters, on the other hand, sees his proposal as aligning with Trump’s agenda of stricter immigration policies. He argues that collecting citizenship data is necessary to provide language services and assess the cost of undocumented students on state taxpayers.
The disagreement has sparked a debate not only in Oklahoma but also in other states like Texas and New Jersey, where similar proposals are being considered. These efforts, if implemented, could challenge a 1982 Supreme Court decision that guarantees undocumented children the right to attend public schools.
As the debate continues, Republicans in the Legislature have expressed concerns about angering Walters, who is popular among the party’s base. While some have privately opposed his policies, they have been hesitant to publicly challenge him.
Governor Stitt has taken action by replacing members of the State Board of Education with individuals aligned with his views. This move has further escalated tensions between Stitt and Walters, with education activist Kendra Wesson being removed from the board for supporting the citizenship proposal.
The clash between Stitt and Walters highlights the ongoing struggle within the conservative movement over immigration policies. It remains to be seen how this debate will unfold in Oklahoma and beyond.
