Politics, Public Ed & Perpetrators - Lawyer Stunt Exposes OK's Public Ed Elites: Accused Supt Promoted, Protected by Unions, Politicians & Attorney General
Was Shawnee Supt Saved to Cover for Hofmeister's Anointed Successor?
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In this article by The V1SUT Vantage:
Politicians & Ed Unions Shield Shawnee Superintendent Following Growing Number of Sexual Misconduct Accusations
Union Lawyers and State Attorney General Use 11th Hour Stunts to Disrupt Back-to-Back State Board of Ed Meetings
Saved from Scandal, Promoted and Silently Placed: Was Shawnee Supt Espolt Assigned to Cover Sins of Ed Establishment’s Chosen Successor for State Supt Hofmeister?
Espolt and Hofmeister Connect Through Public Ed’s Academic Elitists & Financial Benefactors
Despite Stepping Down Amid Scandal at Cleveland PS, Espolt Given Executive Director Position by Then State Supt Hofmeister
AG’s Brad Clark & Espolt Worked Together at OSDE Under Hofmeister: Clark Questioned Espolt About Allegations in 2020, Neglected to Inform State Board of Ed About His Direct Conflict of Interest
Ed Establishment Promotes Failure & Danger for Students: Shawnee Supt April Grace Pushed to Replace Hofmeister as Coach Arthur Sex Abuse Scandal Outs District’s Ongoing Failure to Protect Students
Silent Selection of Protection: No Record of Espolt’s Name in Board Agenda or Minutes When Initially Hired by Shawnee School Board as Asst Supt
Espolt Moves to Top Spot at Shawnee as Pending Fed Civil Suit Threatens to Expose Gross Negligence by Grace & Others
Espolt Administration’s Promises of Protection, Transparency & Respect for Parents Questioned After Lawfare Intended to Unmask Student Sex Abuse Whistleblowers & Victims
District Uses Angry Transvestite to Serve Senator Shane Jett with Subpoena Demanding Student Victim Info
Politicians & Ed Unions Shield Shawnee Superintendent Following Growing Number of Sexual Misconduct Accusations
The education unions, a group of state legislators and the state attorney general’s office appear highly committed to preventing the Oklahoma State Board of Education (State Board) from entering executive sessions where they discuss and often decertify educators accused of sexually abusing or otherwise harming school children.
In fulfillment of a campaign promise to parents, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R) and the current State Board have suspended and/or revoked a record number of teaching certifications since January of 2023.
And now, those in power are working to prevent the suspension of Shawnee superintendent Dr. Aaron Espolt’s certifications. Espolt is connected to the state’s most powerful education unions, serving on both the CCOSA/OASA’s Executive Committee (state school administrators’ union) and the governing board of the national AASA (School Superintendents Association).
V1SUT’s Harmful Coaching series (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5) brought forth multiple former students who’ve accused Espolt of sexual misconduct during his time at Little Axe PS and Boone-Apache PS, as well as details of Espolt’s mid-year exit from Cleveland PS. Espolt has been employed within seven Oklahoma school districts over 24 years and is accused of a repeating pattern of pursuing and engaging female, high school students within sexual relationships. Those coming forward are now part of the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s (OSDE) larger investigation. The agency has twice recommended State Board action concerning Espolt’s certifications.
Union Lawyers and State Attorney General Use 11th Hour Stunts to Disrupt Back-to-Back State Board of Ed Meetings
As reported in Part 5 of Harmful Coaching, just hours before the State Board’s September 26, 2024, monthly meeting, union contracted attorneys from legal firm White and Weddle filed a request for an injunction in Oklahoma County District Court on behalf of Espolt to block the suspension of his certifications.
Though the court never granted the requested injunction, the State Board then moved forward only with the longer process of revoking Espolt’s credentials, stopping short of enacting an emergency suspension. As a result, Espolt remained on paid administrative leave within Shawnee PS and continues to receive more than $15K monthly in total compensation from the district.
During October, an additional, former student of Apache HS came forward with allegations prompting Espolt’s potential suspension to again appear on the State Board’s monthly agenda. Just hours before the October 24, 2024 (9:30 am) meeting, Attorney General (AG) Gentner Drummond removed the State Board’s contracted legal advisor, Cara Nicklas of the law firm McAlister, McAlister and Nicklas.
Nicklas was previously approved by the AG’s office to serve the State Board under a 20i provision (§74-20i). The State Board requested the AG’s approval to renew Nicklas’ contract back in August, but the AG’s office held the request for more than two months. Then, with only hours notice, the State Board was forced to accept the AG’s general counsel Brad Clark as temporary legal representation during their monthly meeting while considering three longer-term options for counsel as laid out by the AG in an email.
AG Drummond cited as his reason for rejecting Nicklas’ proposed contract extension her “brazen disregard of sound counsel” concerning the recent push by a group of state legislators to attend State Board executive sessions. The effort was led by lame duck State Rep James “Mark” McBride (R-Moore), .
Brad Clark’s specific conflicts of interest concerning the Espolt case suggest other motivations for the lawyer swap. Despite promptly recusing himself from another case on the agenda, Clark neglected to inform the State Board concerning his previous involvement with the investigation surrounding Espolt and others.
The careers of Clark and Espolt intersected at the OSDE during 2020, as Espolt was being saved from a previous scandal. In the process, Clark became directly involved in the investigation into student sexual abuse involving Espolt and his previous coach-mates.
Saved from Scandal, Promoted and Silently Placed: Was Shawnee Supt Espolt Assigned to Cover Sins of Ed Establishment’s Chosen Successor for State Supt Hofmeister?
According to Espolt’s online bio, in 2015, he received the Financial Excellence Award from the OSDE during his first year as the superintendent of Cleveland Public Schools. At that time Joy Hofmeister (then R, later D) had just assumed control of the OSDE as the newly elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction and was already embroiled in a scandal involving collusion with the state’s education unions in the illegal use of dark money during her 2014 campaign through shell organization Oklahomans for Public School Excellence (OPSE).
Hofmeister, two education union heads and two political consultants were indicted on felony charges, including conspiracy, only to have all charges dropped by then Oklahoma County DA David Prater (D) without explanation.
For those unfamiliar with the education unions’ dark money scandal and the political hijacking of Oklahoma’s K-12 system, we strongly recommend you read V1SUT’s How to Steal a State series while paying particular attention to the article Dark Money Matters.
The timing of Espolt’s 2015 award from Hofmeister for financial excellence appears questionable, as his district was then facing major financial challenges and infrastructure disrepair that resulted in a $12.2 million dollar bond being promoted and passed during the following year (2016). Higher education appears to have provided the connection between Hofmeister and Espolt that precipitated the 2015 award.
Espolt and Hofmeister Connect Through Public Ed’s Academic Elitists & Financial Benefactors
An internal source informs Dr. Keith Ballard was the initial connection between Hofmeister and Espolt, stating Ballard’s recommendation convinced the Cleveland PS Board of Education to hire Espolt as superintendent of the district in 2014, though he did not yet have his PhD. Ballard, now deceased, served on Hofmeister’s 2014 transition team and was previously executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA), superintendent of Tulsa PS and, most recently, a professor at the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at OU Tulsa where he is credited with launching the education masters and doctoral programs.
In preparation for her 2014 campaign for OK public education’s top seat, Hofmeister earned her masters degree while Espolt was working on his doctorate during overlapping years under Ballard at the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, named for the late wife of BancFirst mogul H.E. (Gene) Rainbolt. When Hofmeister was indicted in 2016, Rainbolt was one of several, progressive education advocates and benefactors to contribute to the Joy Hofmeister Defense Fund.
Espolt completed his dissertation in May of 2018. Within the document, Espolt states he spent six years earning his PhD thus corroborating our source’s report that he overlapped Hofmeister’s time at the college. The connection between Hofmeister and Espolt resurfaced in early 2020.
Despite Stepping Down Amid Scandal at Cleveland PS, Espolt Given Executive Director Position by Then State Supt Hofmeister
Espolt stepped down at Cleveland PS in the wake of another sex scandal, this time with an employee, not a student. Part 5 of Harmful Coaching exposes details concerning the scandal. Despite multiple reports of misconduct during his time in Cleveland, Espolt’s career was salvaged by Hofmeister who created a new, high-level position for Espolt at the OSDE. Despite coming from an underperforming district, Espolt was named Executive Director of School Design and Innovation.
During his short time at the agency, Espolt co-authored an equity focused blueprint entitled Reimagining Excellence which purported to increase academic outcomes and school safety through social and emotional learning (SEL) and leadership. Also while at the OSDE, he completed the AASA’s National Superintendent Certification Program, a 20-month program involving a $6,000 fee, travel and lodging expenses for trips to four convenings and a Capstone Project.
AG’s Brad Clark & Espolt Worked Together at OSDE Under Hofmeister: Clark Questioned Espolt About Allegations in 2020, Neglected to Inform State Board About Direct Conflict of Interest
Now AG’s office general counsel Brad Clark was hired in August of 2015 to serve as counsel to the State Board of Education under Hofmeister, though State Board meeting minutes show Clark as the only attorney in attendance as “general counsel” during board meetings from November of 2015 until September of 2021. It appears Clark provided counsel to both the OSDE and State Board at meetings during that time. In late 2021, minutes show Travis Jett began representing the State Board and Clark continued as OSDE counsel only through 2022.
Clark Has Memory Lapse Concerning Dual Board/OSDE Roles Under Hofmeister
On October 24th, upon replacing board counsel Nicklas and while fielding questions from State Board member Sarah Lepak, Clark first suggested his former roles as State Board and OSDE counsel never overlapped then claimed he couldn’t remember if he ever filled both roles at the same time. (recorded State Board Meeting - begin timestamp 12:35):
Lepak: “At the time when you were employed by the department but representing the board, that pre-dates me, were you also representing the department at that time?”
Clark: “I’m sorry. If I understand, are you asking if there was an overlap in the two?”
Lepak: “Yeah, like did you represent the department and the board or was there always separate counsel.”
Clark: “Uh, I don’t recall, actually.”
In exploring longer-term options for board counsel, Walters again questioned Clark concerning his dual roles as OSDE and State Board counsel under Hofmeister (recorded State Board Meeting - begin timestamp 25:38):
Walters: “You mentioned this earlier, but you know when we’re looking at what are the options, and is one of the options our general counsel from the agency serving in both roles, you say you couldn’t remember if you were serving in both at the same time?”
Clark: “Right.”
Walters: “You don’t remember if you were general counsel for the agency and the board attorney at the same time?”
Clark: “No. There was some overlap but that’s been six years ago, more?”
Walters: “Okay, well that’s just one of the things, again, I appreciate you walking us through multiple options, but trying to figure out as we move forward so the board can know, could the general counsel serve in both roles with a type of firewall. It seems like that had happened previously, it seems like that’s a conversation we can continue.”
Clark: “Sure, like I said, that was six years ago. Many things have happened since then.”
Clark Recuses Self from Another Case Yet Neglects to Disclose Direct Involvement in Investigation Surrounding Espolt
During the meeting, Clark failed to mention his involvement within the investigation now directly involving Espolt. During 2020, Ashley Rolen, a former Little Axe High School student, began submitting statements to the OSDE from herself and her former classmates outlining sexual abuse perpetrated upon them by then Little Axe teacher/coaches. Aaron Espolt was a coach then teacher/coach at Little Axe during the time of the reported crimes and his name was included within the body of statements.
Espolt, then an OSDE employee, was reportedly questioned about the statements by then OSDE head counsel Clark during the summer of 2020. Approximately a year later, after a third party informed his name continued to be associated with the investigation, Espolt acquired Rolen’s personal phone number and contacted Rolen. Rolen recorded the call (July 12th, 2021). The first half of the recorded conversation is provided below (remainder of call contains source information that could not be released):
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During the call, Espolt twice stresses he only taught at Little Axe PS for one year while public records confirm Espolt worked at the district from 1999 until 2004 (four years as a lay coach and one year as a certified teacher). Espolt also confirms being questioned concerning the investigation while working at the OSDE in 2020.
From the recorded conversation:
Rolen: “So, your name being brought up and then you calling me in this manner, with such aggression in your voice is a little off-putting because I’m not sure why you would do such, especially if you are aware of the fact that I was raped by a teacher when I was a student.”
Espolt: “No, sorry Ashley, I wasn’t aware of that.”
Rolen: “The Department of Education said that they talked to you specifically about it.”
Epolt: “They did, they did talk to me, and that’s why I said my name kept coming up. They called me into the office and they talked to me about it.”
Later in the conversation:
Rolen: “So may I ask who gave you my phone number and who told you that you needed to call me?”
Espolt: “No one told you, or told me, I just took that upon myself.”
Rolen: “But if your name keeps being brought up, are you talking about, how, in such way? How did you get my phone number?”
Espolt: “How I was involved in this. Like I said, I got called into the State Department when I worked there as well…”
Rolen: “That was last summer though that you got called in.”
Espolt: “Yes, it was.”
Rolen: “So why would you now be calling me?”
Espolt: “Because it got brought up again.”
Rolen: “By who?”
Espolt: “I’d rather not say.”
In addition, after hearing about Clark’s appointment as temporary counsel to the State Board, a constituent of Shawnee PS provided this outlet with a recorded conversation in which Espolt specifically names Brad Clark as the OSDE employee who questioned him during 2020 concerning the accusations brought forth by Rolen.
From that conversation:
Espolt: “So when she (Rolen) filed, I guess with the State Department or whoever that, I was already at the State Department. So, I was already there, because I got called into Brad Clark’s office, the head attorney at the time, and he questioned me. State Department questioned me.”
The investigation went nowhere until both Hofmeister and Clark left the OSDE following Walters’ election.
Despite recusing himself from another case on the State Board’s October agenda, AG’s attorney Clark made no mention of his previous connection to Espolt as co-workers at the OSDE or his direct knowledge of and involvement with the investigation.
From State Board, October 24, 2024 meeting (recorded State Board Meeting: begin timestamp 58:09):
Clark: “If I might, if you’ll indulge me for a minute. When I was looking at the agenda yesterday, last night, on 7e, the name (Holland) is familiar to me because at the conclusion of my tenure of service here (OSDE/State Board) this was something that was continuing but wrapping up. Um, I departed. I don’t know how it was resolved, but because of my involvement at the beginning stages and at certain periods throughout, um, not including the final order or wherever it went from there. I was not involved in that, um, at the board level, but before that I just, out of an abundance of caution, wanted to raise that, raised it before the meeting, and would step aside, recuse from any, um, advice or further from there.”
Clark was silent on agenda item 7d, the potential emergency suspension of Espolt’s certifications, but had a warning for the board concerning such actions:
Clark: “With respect to anything with an emergency, the statutes there, I’m very familiar with those, you probably are, others are as well. If the board makes that finding, it’s required that the board make a determination that the safety, welfare, health imperatively requires this emergency action. So with that context, the further it goes in the back of your mind, I’d advise considering the emergency at that time. Is there an emergency, in other words?”
Within our How to Steal a State series, V1SUT previously reported on Clark’s resume, roles and connections within the group surrounding Hofmeister’s dark money entity, which was formed and funded by two education unions and a major school insurer:
Brad Clark - Former Special Assistant to Sandy Garrett (State Superintendent 1991-2011), then attorney with Hickman Law Group. Clark was also director of legal services and policy at the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC), an educational non-profit funded by the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Inasmuch Foundation, Charles & Lynn Schusterman Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation, before becoming counsel under Joy Hofmeister at the Oklahoma Department of Education (OSDE).
Clark was one of multiple Hofmeister staffers and mutually connected, political consultants to move directly to the AG’s office after the 2022 elections. The 2022 campaigns of Drummond and Hofmeister also shared funders from common special interest groups and industries including cannabis, gambling and Native American tribes.
It appears Clark’s sudden return as counsel to the State Board may make him a highly conflicted fixer for the education establishment. Espolt’s move to Shawnee from the OSDE may explain why many wish to protect him.
Shawnee Supt April Grace Pushed to Replace State Supt Hofmeister as Coach Arthur Sex Abuse Scandal Outs District’s Ongoing Failure to Protect Students
OSDE records show Espolt worked at the agency for less than a year. In early 2021, Espolt left the OSDE as Hofmeister was planning a party flip from Republican to Democrat and her since failed campaign for the governor’s office.
Also in 2021, despite lacking results for students in her district, the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators (OASA) named then Shawnee superintendent Dr. April Grace (R), the education establishment’s chosen successor for Hofmeister, as 2020-21 Oklahoma Superintendent of the Year. At the end of Grace’s reign at Shawnee PS, 84% of students were below proficiency in the combined subject areas of English, math and science.
If Grace was to become the next State Superintendent, an insider would need to replace Grace in Shawnee and squelch a scandal involving student sexual abuse that was brewing in her district.
Longtime Shawnee PS basketball coach and assistant athletic director Ronald Gene Arthur, now incarcerated, had been sexually abusing boys for years. Court documents suggest multiple district administrators, including superintendents Marilyn Bradford and April Grace, failed to take any serious action to stop the abuse despite multiple reports beginning in 2007.
Silent Selection of Protection: No Record of Espolt’s Name in Board Agenda or Minutes When Initially Hired by Shawnee School Board as Asst Supt
On April 5, 2021, without his name being mentioned within Shawnee PS’s school board agenda, meeting minutes or any related attachment, Espolt was silently hired as Assistant Superintendent and CFO by a unanimous vote of four Shawnee Board of Education members (Clif Harden, Ian Brown, Bobby Cant &, April Stobbe). Constituents and parents would’ve had no way to know about or contest Espolt’s hiring.
On July 6, 2021, Shawnee superintendent April Grace (R) announced her candidacy within the 2022 state superintendent’s race. On August 11, 2021, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Ronald Gene Arthur. The felony charges against Arthur included rape in the second degree, forcible sodomy, and soliciting sexual contact with a minor by use of technology.
On June 6, 2022, a state civil lawsuit (later moved to federal court CIV-23-473-R) was filed on behalf of an Arthur victim, revealing how administrators, including Grace, perpetuated Arthur’s abuse of students by concealing repeated accusations of molestation within internal, Title IX investigations and requiring meaningless professional development sessions and book reports from Arthur as punishment for his predation.
According to parent advocacy groups like Reclaim Oklahoma Parent Empowerment (ROPE), Grace should never become state superintendent:
ROPE - “Between Grace’s inability to prevent a sexual predator from contacting students on her campus and some of the major funders to her campaign, we can be very well assured that Dr. April Grace (who was unable to be present for our Republican State Superintendent Forum) is NOT the person we need to have in the top spot at the Oklahoma Department of Education.” - Jenni White, ROPE Education Director
Grace claimed within a GOP primary debate that details from the Arthur case were being “misconstrued”, but journalists like Ray Carter from OCPA called out Grace’s failure to report crimes and protect children. On August, 23, 2022, Ryan Walters defeated Grace within the Republican primary runoff election.
In a telling display of UniParty preparedness, support of Grace did not move behind Walters as the other Republican in the general election. Instead, the education establishment largely backed Jena Nelson (D), Hofmeister’s 2020 selection for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. Nelson campaign contributors included a host of education PACs, including the Oklahoma Educators Association’s (OEA), and at least 14 acting superintendents.
In November of 2022, the people of Oklahoma elected Walters over Nelson by a 13.6% spread, and Espolt was promoted at Shawnee.
Espolt Moves to Top Spot at Shawnee as Pending Fed Civil Suit Threatens to Expose Gross Negligence by Grace & Others
Following Dr. Grace’s 2022 primary defeat, she retired from Shawnee PS and became the executive director of Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC), an NGO that advises public schools and formerly employed attorney Brad Clark as head of legal services. The position pays more than $160K in total annual compensation.
With criminal charges pending against Arthur and a civil case pending against both the district and Arthur, on March 1, 2023, the Shawnee board held a special meeting, largely conducted within executive session, and voted unanimously to promote Espolt from assistant to head superintendent. Board member and current board president Clif Harden is reported by an inside source to have heavily lobbied in favor of Espolt’s promotion.
According to a longtime SPS teacher, “April Grace was running for state superintendent so they brought in Espolt from OSDE. I think so much happened with Grace (related to Ron Arthur), Espolt knew a lot of key factors about the district’s action. He was safe for the board to keep, he knew the dirty secrets. He tries to be in the schools more than Grace. She never came to the schools, worked from home a lot. Espolt is more visible but adopting her policies behind the scenes.”
The month following Espolt’s elevation to superintendent, the district and community suffered significant damage from a tornado. According to a constituent, “Back then, no one was paying attention to where Espolt came from. He was just the superman who was going to fix everything. It’s like the community is trauma-bonded to him because of the tornado.”
While talking with local outlet Shawnee CTV in August of 2023, Espolt described his vision for the district as “honoring your choice”. According to Espolt, “Honor their choice to send their student to our school. Honor their choice of engagement as a parent. We believe strongly in parent’s rights and the voice of a parent in our school system and the engagement of those parents in our school system.”
Espolt’s Promises of Protection, Transparency & Respect for Parents Questioned After Lawfare Intended to Unmask Student Sex Abuse Whistleblowers & Victims
State Senator Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) has been a vocal advocate for Arthur’s victims. In 2022, after lacking action from both the school district and district attorney, Jett requested then AG John O’Connor conduct a multi-county grand jury investigation concerning the district’s failure to protect students and a “systemic pattern” of covering up the internal abuse of students.
After Espolt’s promises to increase transparency and safety within Shawnee PS, the district’s recent move within the federal civil case brought by an Arthur victim suggests the coverup continues. On May 28, 2024, Jett was served with a subpoena by The Center for Education Law, counsel for Shawnee PS, demanding all communications concerning Arthur between Jett and the victims, their parents, school employees, former AG John O’Connor, the local sheriff’s office and the media. Jett refused to comply and called the subpoena an overt attempt to unmask the student victims involved.
An inside source reports the Shawnee Board of Education, with Dr. Espolt present, discussed the potential subpoena on April 1, 2024, during a closed door, executive session with legal counsel. Within the board’s meeting minutes, no notes concerning the discussion or any related motions were provided.
District Uses Angry Transvestite to Serve Senator Jett with Subpoena Demanding Student Victim Info
In a hint about the goals of those behind both Espolt and the education establishment, the subpoena demanding information concerning student victims of sexual abuse by Coach Arthur was served to Senator Jett by a trans process server within what one witness described as a “very flamboyant” exchange.
According to onsite witness Roberta Lewis, founder of the Pottawatomie County chapter of Moms for Liberty, who was in Jett’s outer office at the Oklahoma State Capitol at the time, the process server was a male with broad shoulders, a square jawline, and shoulder length, green-streaked, blond hair wearing a bright green tube top, high-heeled shoes and jeans with his bare mid-drift showing.
Lewis states the server rushed into Jett’s inner office during a meeting, threw the service papers across Jett’s desk and exclaimed in what was described as an angry tone, “Shane David Jett, you’ve been served, fuck you from the trans community!”
The server then ran out of the office followed by Jett and was removed from the building by security. The subpoena filed within the federal case does not include the completed “proof of service” section containing the process server’s name, address and signature. A similar subpoena was served to the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office on the same date.
Jett has refused to comply with the subpoena, claiming legislative immunity. On September 13, 2024, US District Judge David Russell denied the Shawnee district’s motion to compel Jett to turn over any of the information.
Those working to protect students within public education are being targeted and those accused of harming students protected by the same players. And now the AG has injected a highly conflicted, establishment regular to advise the State Board of Education concerning educator certification removals. Just who is behind the politics pushing to protect educator-predators across Oklahoma?
More to come from The V1SUT Vantage.
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I knew Drummond was a bad choice. I just didn’t know why.