Dr. Ebony Johnson became the first black woman to be elected permanent Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) shortly after 11 pm December 11, 2023. Her election was the highly anticipated result of this regularly scheduled school board meeting. A record-breaking crowd, having waited one and one-half hours for the executive session to conclude, cheered and took photos to commemorate the occasion. Dr. Johnson’s tenure as Superintendent of TPS starts immediately and runs through June 30, 2026.
The board vote was four in favor, two against and one abstention. Board members E’Lena Ashley and Dr. Jennettie Marshall voted no, and Dr. Jerry Griffin abstained.
The following day board member Dr. Jerry Griffin tendered his resignation effective January 2, 2024. He said that the timing is not related to the board’s decision, but rather to his career decision. He is preparing to launch a national tour to promote his vision of educational reform based on a book he has written.
Over the next several days various stakeholders weighed in. State Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters labeled the board a “rubber stamp” and said it is “barreling toward drastic action”. Tulsa Mayor Bynum said that he agrees with Superintendent Walters pushing TPS for academic excellence, but disagrees with how he has gone about pursuing it. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recommended that everyone should calm down and give Dr. Johnson the benefit of the doubt and the chance to see if she can change TPS’s academic outcomes.
