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House District 11 Representative Wendi Stearman, a Republican of Collinsville and 14 of her colleagues send a letter requesting the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA) take a position against the National School Board Association's (NSBA) letter that went out earlier this month.

Rep. Stearman says the letter was sent to OSSBA Executive Director Shawn Hime, requesting that he take action to stop the NSBA from requesting federal assistance on behalf of Oklahoma and for an apology to the parents, children and educators. Stearman says they are standing with the parents that are only making sure that their children are looked after and that their child's education is as they would like it to be. She says the letter shows their support of the parents that are trying to make an impact in their child's education as they attend school board meetings and get involved.

The letter was sent in the hopes that the OSSBA would recognize that these parents are acting in full authority.

Rep. Stearman and the other lawmakers say the OSSBA should have denounced the NSBA's initial request for President Joe Biden to treat parent groups expressing concerns to local school boards as domestic terrorists promoting hate crimes and requested federal assistance. Rep. Stearman says this was a severe overstep of their authority and that they want to see more action on the part of the OSSBA in terms of separating themselves from this position.

The full text of the letter is below:

"October 25th, 2021

Executive Director Shawn Hime

2801 N Lincoln Blvd., Ste 125

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Last week, the National School Board Association (NSBA) released a statement apologizing for the language used in their letter to President Joe Biden. While we are happy that the NSBA has accepted responsibility for their actions, it does not excuse the lack of action by you and the Oklahoma State School Board Association (OSSBA). On October 1st, Senator Julie Daniels and other Oklahoma State Senators sent you a letter requesting that you denounce the letter sent to President Joe Biden. In this letter, the NSBA referred to the concerned Oklahoma parents’ protests as “a form of terrorism and hate crimes.” We are saddened that you did not seize the opportunity to protect the concerned parents, children, and educators in the school districts part of OSSBA.

Your lack of initiative in protecting the rights of the parents, children, and taxpayers has led to cascading consequences for many Oklahomans. Even though the NSBA apologized for the language used, they failed to rescind their request from President Joe Biden for federal assistance. The request, if granted, would bring entities not accountable to Oklahomans to stop what they say are threats and acts of violence against public school children, public school board members, other public school district officials, and educators. Admitting error only after the damage to the rights and reputation of many Oklahomans is done is pointless unless you retract the call to action.

We understand that there have been contentious school board meetings, but surely the OSSBA does not intend to let the NSBA and other federal actors silence the parents, patrons, and taxpayers who finance Oklahoma’s public education. Upset parents and taxpayers attending their local public school board meeting, a right granted by the Open Meetings Act, is not an attack and does not pose an immediate threat.

For this reason, we and our House colleagues are requesting that you publicly apologize for your inaction which has led to the loss of trust in you and those that represent the school boards. Further, we request that you demand that the NSBA rescind their request for federal assistance in Oklahoma. Finally, we ask that you support the parents, educators, and administrators who expect their schools to be protected against radical attempts by the federal government to silence them."

Signing the letter are:

• Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville
• Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle
• Rep. Stan May, R-Broken Arrow
• Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane
• Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany
• Rep. Tammy Townley, R-Ardmore
• Rep. Sean Roberts, R-Hominy
• Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola
• Rep. Sheila Dills, R-Tulsa
• Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell
• Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont
• Rep. Danny Williams, R-Seminole
• Rep. Rusty Cornwell, R-Vinita
• Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee
• Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland

Rep. Stearman says they would like the OSSBA to immediately acknowledge the letter. She says Senator Julie Daniels sent a similar request at the beginning of the month and they are still awaiting a response.