Oklahoma Senate approves governor’s new education board members

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday confirmed Gov. Kevin Stitt’s four new appointees to the State Board of Education along with picks for several other state leadership posts.

With no discussion, senators approved the appointments of Mike Tinney, of Norman, Christopher K. Van Denhende, of Tulsa, Ryan A. Deatherage, of Kingfisher, and Becky Y. Carson, of Edmond, to serve on the state board tasked with governing the state’s public school system.

Gov. Kevin Stitt in February removed three prior members from the board and criticized them for creating “needless political drama” following their vote requiring schools to collect students’ immigration status. 

Stitt then named Deatherage, Tinney and Van Denhende to fill the vacancies, saying the board needed fresh eyes. 

State Superintendent Ryan Walters accused Stitt of firing the three former board members for political purposes.

The three booted members had voted in line with Walters since he took office in January 2023.

They approved Walters’ budget requests, which included $3 million to spend on Bibles, along with controversial new rules that would require the student citizenship checks and require teachers to pass a naturalization test in order to be licensed.

During the session, the Republican-controlled Legislature rejected all three proposals.

In April, Stitt appointed Carson, a retired educator, to fill a seat representing Congressional District 5 that has been vacant for two years.

Walters and six members appointed by the governor make up the board.

During the committee vetting process, some Republican senators objected to Stitt’s decision to overhaul the board’s membership. 

Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, carried Tinney’s nomination after his hometown senator, Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, declined to do so. Standridge told some media outlets she was friends with Kendra Wesson, who served on the board before being booted.

In other business, the Senate confirmed John Budd of Oklahoma City to serve as the Department of Commerce CEO.

Richard L. Rose of Oklahoma City was confirmed as Office of Management and Enterprise Services director.

Jeffrey Cartmell of Edmond was approved to serve as Department of Human Services director.

Timothy N. Tardibono of Oklahoma City was confirmed as Office of Juvenile Affairs executive director.