In a Wednesday letter to three new State Board of Education nominees, Drummond agrees with Stitt’s move to remove now-former board members, but criticizes his judgment in initially supporting State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who began his political career as a Stitt-appointed Secretary of Education. He urges the new board members to act independently of Stitt and Walters.

“I am hopeful that you realize your duty is to the people of Oklahoma, not to any politician or his personal agenda,” Drummond wrote. “While I welcome the governor’s apparent ‘shake-up’ of the board, this action is only necessary because of Gov. Stitt’s extremely poor judgement in appointing, promoting and then endorsing Ryan Walters and his anti-public schools agenda.”

Stitt announced Tuesday he had ousted three board members, Katie Quebedeaux, Donald Burdick and Kendra Wesson, and replaced them with three nominees. In a news release, he cited low national test scores and “needless political drama.”

In a Wednesday press conference, Stitt told reporters Walters’ proposed administrative rule to count undocumented students and families was one of the reasons behind the ousting. The board voted to send the administrative rules to the legislature at its last board meeting, but remaining board members Zach Archer and Sarah Lepak were not present.

In the letter, Drummond lists a slew of perceived failures, including low national test scores, a bungled rollout of a school security grant program, denying access to lawmakers for board executive sessions, poor Open Records Act responses and more.

Drummond ends the letter by cautioning the board nominees:

“I will not hesitate to take appropriate action if you fail the people of our state,” Drummond wrote.

The letter comes two days after Drummond took to X to repost Walters’ criticism of Stitt’s board shakeup. In the repost, Drummond said, “Another one of my fellow Republicans finally took the red pill and now realizes what I’ve been saying all along: Kevin Stitt is not a true conservative.”

Walters responded to the letter in a statement, saying “liberal Gentner Drummond” needed to “stop pretending to be governor and start doing his job.”

“Drummond is too busy playing politics and trying to please the swamp while we’re delivering real results for parents and kids,” Walters said. “Weak leadership won’t stop us — we’re making Oklahoma schools GREAT again!”

Stitt’s office did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.