John Thompson describes Ryan Walters’ frenzied campaign to be chosen as Trump’s Secretary of Education. In Oklahoma, where he is State Superintendent, Walters has been pushing the Trump agenda long before the election. He wants religion in the schools, he wants to dismantle the Department of Education, he wants to destroy public schools, he wants to purge the curriculum. He’s practically screaming, “Take me!”

Thompson writes:

We Oklahomans need to apologize to the nation for what some of us have been thinking since the election. But, how can we not hope that State Superintendent Ryan Walters gets a job in the Trump administration? As Oklahoma Watch has reported, Ryan Walters seems to be campaigning for an appointment to be Trump’s U.S. Secretary of Education. Walters has been “rumored to be angling for the post; he’s been on a taxpayer-funded national media blitz for months.” And after all, maybe Walters’s incompetence would make it harder to destroy the U.S. Department of Education than to realize his goal of destroying Oklahoma’s public schools.

Of course, I’m kidding, mostly. But at times like this, education supporters have no choice but to seek comfort in humor, no matter how absurd such jokes may be.

During the last week, as the Oklahoman reports, Walters has promised on social media that “President Trump’s agenda will be enacted in Oklahoma.” Moreover, as the Tulsa World explained, “’Freedom to pray’ is among the education policy tenets listed by Trump’s re-election campaign.” And Walters issued a memorandum to parents and school superintendents advocating for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education and replacing its functions with block grants.”

The Oklahoman further explains that Walters has “sent a five-point memo to public school superintendents and parents, detailing what he has described as Oklahoma’s plan to implement Trump’s agenda in schools. The memo covered topics such as ‘ending social indoctrination in classrooms’ and ‘stopping illegal immigration’s impact on our schools.’” And he also complained that “‘well-funded, out of state groups’ had ‘bullied’ an Oklahoma teacher into removing quotes from the Bible from a classroom.”

Walters now promises a “new office would help protect teachers in similar situations in the future.” So, “Walters said the Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism would promote its namesake principles and make sure students and teachers can freely practice their religion.” While doing so, he blamed teachers unions for undermining faith and family.

The Oklahoma Voice adds, “Walters said public schools have been “ground ‘zero’ for erosion of religious liberty. While calling church-state separation a ‘myth,’ he ordered Oklahoma districts to teach from the Bible, sought to buy Bibles with taxpayer funds and advocated for opening a Catholic charter school in the state.”

Walters falsely argued:

It is no coincidence that the dismantling of faith and family values in public schools directly correlates with declining academic outcomes in our public schools. … In Oklahoma, we are reversing this negative trend and, working with the incoming Trump Administration, we are going to aggressively pursue education policies that will improve academic outcomes and give our children a better future.

The Oklahoma Watch also explains, contrary to Walters’ promises:

Due to the courts and lawmakers’ interpretation of the 10th Amendment, the federal government and Department of Education are not involved in determining curricula or educational standards or establishing schools or colleges.

Mostly, the department gives out money, some of which has strings attached, ensuring that schools adhere to federal non-discrimination laws.

Even so, we are likely to see Walters ramping up his attacks on Oklahoma schools in order to impress Trump. After all, “Trump proposes having parents elect school principals, abolishing teacher tenure and adopting merit pay. He vows to encourage prayer in schools and expel more disruptive students from classrooms.”

Real world, I’ve been asking whether Walters could impose more actual damage on his home state than on the country as a whole. Could we hope that his record of incompetence would be more likely to bring his MAGA agenda down if he tackles the more complicated battles with the U.S. Department of Education (or any other national institutions targeted by the new President)? And, wouldn’t his irrational zealotry be more politically damaging to Trump if he attacks government on the federal level?

Or, are Oklahomans just worn down by the stress Walters inflicted on us, which is what he wants to dump on the nation?