Without warning, the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 28, has been canceled.
The cancellation notice was posted on the Oklahoma State Department of Education website about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27.
"Due to the transitioning staff and legal team, the board meeting has been canceled," Education Department spokeswoman Madison Cercy said. "There are several big items facing Oklahoma education and we want to make sure that the board meetings are conducted properly and efficiently."
Tensions between the board’s chair, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters and four newer board members have been rising in recent months over issues including the power to place items on the board's agenda and Walters not bringing major policy proposals before the board for a vote.
During the board's last meeting in July, two board members reported seeing images of naked women on a television screen inside Walters’ office at the Oliver Hodge Building at the state Capitol complex. The television set was playing during a closed session of the board meeting. Walters has accused the board members of lying and Gov. Kevin Stitt — who appointed the board members — of orchestrating the drama.
Results of an investigation by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation have been turned over to Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna, who now is responsible for determining whether criminal charges in the case are warranted.
More: Emails from education board members preceded withdrawal by law firm as board counsel
Since that meeting, the board’s attorney, Chad Kutmas, has withdrawn from that role after multiple board members asked Attorney General Gentner Drummond to withdraw his approval for Kutmas, a private attorney, to serve a public board. Board members said Kutmas represented Walters’ viewpoints, not theirs. It’s not known who might serve in that role going forward.
If the meeting is not held, it would be the third time in the past calendar year the board would have failed to meet its statutory obligation to hold a monthly regular meeting. There is no consequence listed in Oklahoma law for the board if it does not meet, however.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting canceled without warning
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