In his own words: What Bixby’s superintendent told News 4 about the comments he’s now suing Ryan Walters over

OKLAHOMA CITY ( KFOR ) — Two weeks before he filed a defamation lawsuit against Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters, Bixby Public Schools spoke out to News 4 about why he believed comments Walters made about him at July’s State Board of Education meeting are “slanderous.”

On Thursday, Bixby Public School superintendent filed a petition in Tulsa County District court, suing Walters for comments he made to reporters about Miller after a July 31 state school board meeting.

Walters told reporters that Miller was a “clown,” “a joke” and a “liar,” and claimed Bixby Public Schools (BPS) was having financial problems under his leadership.

On August 1, the day following Walters’ comments, Miller gave News 4 an interview.

He told News 4 Walters’ claims were categorically false, and Walters was aware BPS was not having financial issues before he made those comments.

Miller told News 4 in that Aug. 1 interview, words have power, and words can also come with consequences.

“It really was borderline slanderous what he said,” Miller told News 4 Aug. 1. “He immediately resorts to false statements and name calling.”

Walters’ comments came during a press gaggle after July’s state school board meeting, when reporters asked him about concerns miller raised on social media.

Miller posted on ‘X’ social media platform earlier that week that his and other school districts still had not heard from Walters about how much federal title-one funding they’d be getting for the upcoming school year.

Walters answered the question by personally attacking Miller, and accusing him of financially mismanaging his school district.

“He’s a liar… I mean, he’s really a true embarrassment,” Walters said. “He knows every year when he gets the Title I funds. And we’re dealing with all kinds of financial problems with his district that we’re hoping to address right now. So you know, Rob… Rob’s a clown, and a liar. So he knows that. Same time every year—at least late August. It’s the same way it’s been every year for—my team tells me—over a decade. So he knows that has been communicated to districts. Rob’s never reached out. Never indicated there’s an issue. There’s not an issue. He made it up. So he wants his name in the press.”

A few hours after Walters made those comments, Miller posted on X again, writing:

“Never again disparage or slander my ethics, integrity, or character in public without evidence. I wore a marine officer’s uniform while you still crawled in diapers. You’re supposed to be a leader. Act like one.”

As for Walters’ claims that Bixby Public Schools had financial problems, Miller said that could not be further from the truth.

“That is blatantly false,” Miller told News 4 Aug. 1. “There is no financial issues going on here in our district. We just finished an audit a little while ago. We didn’t have any significant findings of any kind. We have a high bond rating.”

Miller also publicly published the district’s audit data to back up his claims.

He told News 4 Walters was well aware BPS did not have financial issues before he opened his mouth that day.

“My chief financial officer, my treasurer, and all the folks here who work in our finance department, who work really hard every day to keep our books in order and our Board of Education, who are the stewards of the public finances here and take their jobs very seriously,” Miller said. “So for him to just do a blanket statement out there like that, knowing that it was false, needed to be called out.”

Soon, both superintendents will have their day in court.

Miller said he hopes to teach a lesson: words matter.

“You’re not going to intimidate or bully anyone here in Bixby Public Schools,” Miller said on Aug. 1. “And I think that we all need to hold him to a higher standard than that.”

News 4 reached out to Bixby Public Schools for comment on Thursday when Miller filed his lawsuit.

A BPS spokesperson sent the following statement:

Mr. Miller’s focus at this time is to ensure a smooth and successful school opening for our Bixby students and families on Tuesday.

Therefore, any inquiries regarding today’s action involving Mr. Walters should be directed to Supt. Miller’s legal team at Smith Barkett Law Group.

Bixby Public Schools spokesperson

News 4 reached out to an Oklahoma State Department of Education Spokesperson Thursday, but did not receive a response.

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