Governor Fallin’s Office
Governor Fallin today announced the appointment of Claremore Mayor William E. “Bill” Flanagan to the State Board of Education. Flanagan replaces Amy Ford.
Flanagan will serve on an interim basis pending Senate confirmation next year. He represents the 2nd Congressional District on the State Board of Education and serves at the pleasure of the governor.
Flanagan, a retired Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and personal financial specialist, has served as mayor of Claremore since 2013. He served 18 years on the Claremore Park Board and previously served on Claremore’s City Council. In 2004, he was named Claremore’s Citizen of the Year.
“Bill Flanagan brings financial expertise and a history of community engagement to the State Board of Education,” said Fallin. “Bill understands the important tasks facing our education community and the need to ensure our students get the skills and educational tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive workforce.”
Flanagan said he is looking forward to serving on the State Board of Education.
“It is an honor and privilege to be considered for the State Board of Education appointment,” he said. “I look forward to working with the governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister and other board members toward the goal of improving education for our children.”
For 35 years, Flanagan owned and operated a small public accounting firm, specializing in individual, small business and corporation tax, as well as personal financial consulting.
He received the Career Achievement Award in 2014 from the Claremore Chamber of Commerce. A charter member of the Claremore Rotary Club, Flanagan has also served as president of the board of directors for Hope Harbor Children’s Home for 20 years.
Flanagan, who has lived in Claremore since 1973, earned a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and was licensed as a CPA in 1975. He and his wife Mary Lou, have three children, Beau, Matt and Tiffany, all of whom are Claremore High School graduates.
I have to say, I’m disappointed that yet again, Governor Fallin has named a NON-EDUCATOR to the State Board of EDUCATION. Mayor Flanagan may have an excellent background in finance, but it’s not the state FINANCE board, it’s the state board of EDUCATION. He may be a wonderful person, but this isn’t a personality contest, it’s a position of oversight over the education policies and practices of public schools in Oklahoma. One of the great frustrations ROPE has had over the years is trying to explain education policy to those in authority over education who have no background in education. It truly makes no sense at all why members of the state Board of Education do not have to have some kind of education background. Certainly the governor of the state of Oklahoma does not believe this to be important and that’s concerning. How can she comment intelligently on education policy when those she has appointed to serve the state on this board don’t have the classroom, administration or curriculum experience necessary to really advise her, or the state, appropriately?
Glad to see he isn’t an educator by trade. He might actually be open to new ideas on how to improve education.