Overview

• Walters submitted his resignation letter on Sept. 30 to Gov. Kevin Stitt, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, stating he would step down at the end of the day.
• He begins as CEO of the Freedom Foundation-backed Teacher Freedom Alliance on Oct. 1, a group that markets itself as an alternative to traditional union membership.
• Until the letter was filed, Stitt could not appoint a successor, and legal experts noted impeachment was the only route if Walters refused to formally resign.
• Stitt is expected to appoint an interim to serve through January 2027; names discussed include Nellie Sanders and Mark McBride, and KFOR reports interviews are underway with some sources identifying Lindel Fields as a likely choice, which the governor’s office has not confirmed.
• Walters sent a letter to parents highlighting initiatives such as school choice expansion, large teacher bonuses, Bible use in classrooms, safety upgrades and an AI office, while a separate inquiry into alleged explicit content in his office resulted in no charges from the district attorney.