A second teacher who received a $50,000 bonus in error from the Oklahoma State Department of Education has joined a lawsuit against the agency and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, alleging breach of contract by the state Education Department and defamation by Walters.
Kristina Stadelman, who lives in Oklahoma City, was added to the lawsuit filed earlier this week in Oklahoma County District Court by Kharis “Kay” Bojorquez, an Osage County resident who teaches for Epic Charter Schools. No hearings have yet been set in the case, which has been assigned to District Judge Richard Ogden.
Dan Isett, a spokesman for the state Education Department and Walters, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The nonprofit news agencies Oklahoma Watch and StateImpact Oklahoma reported last week at least nine teachers had received letters from the state Education Department, demanding they pay back all, or portions of, the bonuses they received by the end of February. Bonus amounts ranged from $15,000 to $50,000.