© 2025 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sperry students walk out in support of suspended teachers

Sperry High School senior Sydney Cavin speaks to media about a student walkout supporting three suspended teachers Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in front of the high school.
Max Bryan
/
KWGS News
Sperry High School senior Sydney Cavin speaks to media about a student walkout supporting three suspended teachers Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in front of the high school.

Sperry High School students demonstrated Monday morning against the suspension of three district faculty members in the wake of a school district sexual assault investigation.

Three Sperry students, reportedly football players, were charged in January for alleged first-degree rape by instrumentation against a fourth student.

Unlike the students, football coach Robert Park, elementary school Principal Richard Akin and educator John King have not been charged by Tulsa District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler. But the state board of education suspended the trio’s teaching licenses last week.

The suspensions come after State Superintendent Ryan Walters said “failure to report and investigate instances of abuse will not be tolerated.”

About 40 students walked out of class in protest of the state’s decision to suspend the teachers.

Sperry senior Sydney Cavin, who organized the walkout, said the disciplinary action against staff hasn’t been popular.

“The Sperry High School does not agree with the suspension. We stand with our teachers and our principals and our football coaches. Anybody who knows them knows they are very good people, and this is so wrong,” Cavin said.

Cavin said she’s not protesting the charges against the students, but rather the faculty suspensions.

The students stood outside the front entrance of the high school and chanted “suspend Ryan Walters” during the walkout. Cavin and her friends held a sign that said, “We support our educators.”

Some on social media — where the protest was advertised —expressed disbelief. They pointed to a statement from the minor victim’s attorney accusing the school of covering up rape.

“The only way to put an end to this shocking behavior is to sue the school district, its employees, the perpetrators of these crimes and their parents who are responsible for their actions. A jury trial will expose the truth about what happened,” the attorney’s statement reads.

Superintendent Brian Beagles has contested that characterization, saying “appropriate measures were swiftly taken to address any misconduct.”

Beagles also released a statement today saying he was “incredibly proud of the passion and activism” the students showed in response to their beliefs, but said the situation was “complex” and urged “respectful and productive” conversation. KWGS has reached out to the state Department of Education for a response to Beagles’ remarks.

The students’ hearing in Tulsa County Court is scheduled Feb. 12. A hearing on the teachers’ suspensions is expected next month.

Max Bryan is a news anchor and reporter for KWGS. A Tulsa native, Bryan worked at newspapers throughout Arkansas and in Norman before coming home to "the most underrated city in America." Several of Bryan's news stories have either led to or been cited in changes both in the public and private sectors.