Silence From the Agency, Transition in Leadership
Spokeswomen for the Department of Education did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the case’s resolution. The lawsuit’s conclusion comes roughly three months after Lindel Fields took over as state schools superintendent, replacing Ryan Walters, who resigned Sept. 30.
During Walters’ tenure, the agency developed a troubled reputation for its handling of open-records requests, drawing public criticism from Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond for delays and lack of responsiveness.
Backlog of Records Requests
Fields has said that when he assumed office on Oct. 2, the agency faced 88 outstanding open-records requests. That total did not include multiple requests from The Oklahoman that remained unresolved but had been marked as completed by agency staff under Walters.
Fields later told members of the State Board of Education that as of Friday, Dec. 18, the backlog had been reduced to 19 open requests, with hopes of bringing the number down to “single digits” by the end of 2025. It remains unclear whether that target was achieved.
