Former Norman teacher Summer Boismier's teaching license is revoked, others face hearings

The Oklahoma State Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to revoke the teaching licenses of one teacher and send the case of two others to a hearing officer during a terse August meeting.

Summer Boismier had her state teaching license pulled while Allison Scott and Regan Killackey had their cases sent to a hearing officer Thursday, setting up what could be an ongoing court fight. Speaking to reporters after the state board's meeting, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters said Boismier broke the law.

“She (Boismier) broke the law,” Walters said. “And I said from the beginning, when you have a teacher that breaks the law, said she broke the law, (and) said she will continue to break the law — that can’t stand.”

Walters said he wanted Oklahomans to be very clear that Oklahoma State Department of Education would hold teachers accountable. “The Legislature passes laws, we have rules, teacher code of conduct that goes along with those things ― those will be enforced. I wanted every parent to know they have the best teacher possible in their kid’s classroom.”

Brady Henderson, Boismier’s attorney, said Boismier would fight the revocation in district court. Henderson said there was some confusion about what facts the board based its decision on. “We don’t know what set of facts they used,” he said.” We know they had to make up some new alternative facts to base the revocation on to fit the result they wanted, but we don’t really know what those are yet.”

He said he expected to file a court case in a week or two. “Basically, if we get a final order, we’re going to do a judicial review petition to overturn what they did in throwing about the actual findings of the case and revoking anyway,” he said.

Summer Boismier had faced license revocation for years for protesting 'critical race theory' law

Boismier has faced a revocation hearing for almost two years. In 2022, Walters said Boismier was attempting to indoctrinate students with a “liberal political agenda" and called for her teaching license be permanently revoked.

“Just to clarify, at the June meeting the board voted to modify the hearing officer’s recommendation and direct me to write the order that relies solely on the written record," Cara Nicklas, the board’s attorney, said. “That order has been provided to you and it's simply you are authorizing the chair of the board to sign off on it.”

Walters took the action because Boismier pushed back against House Bill 1775, a controversial state law that targeted the teaching of critical race theory. In 2022, Boismier covered the bookshelves in her classroom with red butcher paper.

On previous occasions, Walter said that Boismier "admittedly was breaking state law to push inappropriate material on kids. We have heard from parents all over the state — they do not want activist teachers in classrooms. I believe it is of the utmost importance that we continue to protect our kids from indoctrination and that we show all parents that the actions of this individual do not align with Oklahoma values and this board will continue to uphold state law and state statute."

Boismier resigned from Norman High School in August 2022 and now lives in New York. She did not attend the Oklahoma board meeting.

What to know about the other Oklahoma teachers facing hearings

According to discussion at the board’s July meeting, Scott is facing an inquiry about her license for apparently commenting on a social media post that referred to the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, saying, “Wish they had a better scope.”

In July, the Ardmore district issued a news release saying it was aware that an employee “made a statement on a social media platform appearing to condone violence against a political figure.” The statement said, “Ardmore City Schools strongly condemns acts of physical violence and any words that seek to encourage it, no matter their target."

The district said at that time it had “begun a thorough and swift investigation into the matter.” However, on Thursday, the district superintendent’s office said it stood on the earlier statement and had no additional information on the investigation’s progress.

Walters also commented at the July meeting about a social media post by Killackey in 2019 that included a photo of his children in a store wearing Halloween costumes. One child had on a Trump mask, and Killackey and another child were holding fake swords. Walters was quoted in news accounts as saying the photo was “incredibly inappropriate.”

Killackey is one of several plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging HB 1775. The measure, passed in 2021, has been challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations and individuals.

The Edmond School District declined comment on the board action.