AND ONLINE AT CAREFUL OUR DOT COM. THANK YOU. WE'RE ALSO HEARING FROM MEMBERS OF BOTH PARTIES TODAY AFTER 2 BOMBSHELL REPORT SHED LIGHT ON THINGS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. >> UNDER STATE SUPERINTENDENT BRIAN WALTERS LEADERSHIP YEARS FOR SPENCER HUMPHREY U.S. YEAR WITHOUT STATE LEADERS ARE RESPONDING TO ALL OF THIS AND THEIR REACTIONS TO IT COULD NOT BE MORE DIFFERENT. SPENCER. >> YEAH, GUYS, YOU KNOW, AFTER THOSE REPORTS YESTERDAY, OKLAHOMA DEMOCRATS HAVE RENEWED THEIR CALLS FOR WALTERS TO BE INVESTIGATED OR EVEN IMPEACH. BUT WE'RE ALSO HEARING FROM GOVERNOR STITT WHO SAYS HE ACTUALLY THINKS THE MASS EXODUS OF EMPLOYEES SDE COULD BE HELPFUL. >> THURSDAY WAS A BUSY DAY FOR HEADLINES ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS.
THE MORNING STARTED WITH A STORY FROM THE OKLAHOMAN REVEALING MORE THAN SDE EMPLOYEES HAVE RESIGNED SINCE WALTERS TOOK OFFICE. AT LEAST 65 OF THEM SINCE JULY. I'VE TOLD YOU THAT INCLUDES HIGH LEVEL EMPLOYEES LIKE THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND ALL THE AGENCY'S LAWYERS. THE OKLAHOMAN REPORTED MOST OF THE RESIGNATION LETTERS WEREN'T DIRECTED AT WALTERS HIMSELF, BUT A FEW WERE INCLUDING ONE EMPLOYEE WHO WROTE THEY FELT A, QUOTE, PERVASIVE FEELING OF A LACK OF RESPECT AND TRUST SDE LEADERS. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. STATE REPRESENTATIVE MICKEY DOLLENS, A DEMOCRAT RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE RESIGNATIONS DURING A SEGMENT FOR THIS SUNDAY'S UPCOMING EPISODE OF FLASHPOINT WERE CALLING FOR ANOTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE >> POSSIBLE IMPEACHMENT OF RYAN WALTERS AT THIS IS ENOUGH. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. IT'S GOT TO STOP. REPORTERS ASKED GOVERNOR STITT ABOUT IT TODAY. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT WE'VE LOST 130 BUREAUCRATS UP HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY >> WE'VE STILL GOT OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM ROLLING ACROSS THE STATE.
>> SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THING TO ME. >> HE ARGUED THE MASS EXODUS OF STAFF, INCLUDING CRITICAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS MAY ACTUALLY MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, MUCH RATHER BE FEWER >> GOVERNMENT BLOAT THAN 130 MORE. >> THURSDAY ENDED WITH THE STORY I BROUGHT YOU ABOUT PAMELA SMITH. GORDON, A WOMAN WALTERS HIRED TO HEAD SDE IS GRANTS DEPARTMENT. SHE DESCRIBED HERSELF AS A CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN WHO COULDN'T WAIT TO GET TO WORK FOR WALTERS. SHE ENDED UP RESIGNING 4 MONTHS INTO THE JOB. SHE SAYS WALTERS WAS ABSENT FROM HIS OFFICE AND NEVER MET WITH HER OR OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS. SHE TOLD ME IT LED TO OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS LOSING OUT OF MORE THAN 2 MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS SCHOOLS. SHE NOW WORRIES MAY NOT SURVIVE THE REST OF HIS TERM.
I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN SURVIVE ANOTHER 3 YEARS WITH THE WAY IT'S GOING NOW FOR SURE. DOLLENS SAYS HER STORY ALSO RAISES RED FLAGS FOR HIM AND SOME FELLOW LEGISLATORS. WHEN YOU AND YOUR OWN STAFF AND SAYING THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT RULE SCHOOLS MAY SURVIVE UNDER THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S WHEN THE ALARM SHOULD START GOING OFF. >> NOW WE DO WANT TO MENTION IN THEIR STORY, THE OKLAHOMAN REPORTED IT KNOW IS THE SPOKESPERSON TOLD THEM THEIR REPORT WAS, QUOTE, FAKE NEWS THAT SAME SPOKESPERSON TOLD ME. >>.