Former Norman High School teacher suing OSDE, Ryan Walters over revoked license

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Summer Boismier is suing the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Ryan Walters, and five former Board of Education members following their decision to revoke her teaching license.

"We are arguing that they personally violated the Constitution and certain laws and that will travel with them even if they're not in that position," said Iris Halpern, one of Boismier's attorneys.

In a phone call with News 4, we asked Boismier what she hopes to gain from the lawsuit, filed October 31 in Oklahoma County.

"I think I'm looking for, maybe freedom, for Oklahoma teachers and students who've been teaching and most importantly, learning from places of fear the last few years," Boismier replied.

In the filing, Boismier's legal counsel says the state "Retaliated against her because she criticized a statewide book ban and spoke out in defense of racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community."

The statewide ban was HB 1775, a bill designed to prohibit schools from covering certain topics on race and gender.

At the time, Walters said Boismier's decision to share a QR code to a public library in Brooklyn, New York, violated his rules on explicit material.

Attorneys for Boismier tell News 4, the QR code didn't display anything explicit.

"It didn't even go specifically to any banned books, right. It was a URL where you can apply for a library card and have access to their whole entire digital collection," Halpern said.

Boismier was placed on administrative leave by Norman Public Schools in 2022 before later resigning.

Walters and those five board members voted to revoke Boismier's teaching license in 2024, which she's now paying for.

"I can't work in the field that I've previously worked in because I don't have a valid teaching certificate, and most importantly, because I have a certificate that's been revoked. I have to date, filled out over 300 job applications, and I have zero offers," Boismier said.

Our newsroom reached out to OSDE about the lawsuit, and they sent the following statement.

"Following communication between our legal counsel and opposing counsel, it has been confirmed that the lawsuit is directed toward the prior administration and the positions held by those individuals within the agency at that time. Superintendent Fields and the current members of the Board are not parties to this litigation. It is understood that Ms. Boismier and her counsel are aware of the change in administration and are proceeding accordingly."

Bailey Woolsey, OSDE Press Secretary

News 4 also reached out to Ryan Walters for a response. We're still waiting to hear back.

The defendants have a period of time to submit a response to the lawsuit.

Halpern said she anticipates the litigation to take at least a year.