Bixby Superintendent Raps His Bid for Oklahoma State Superintendent

Bixby Public Schools Superintendent Rob Miller announced his bid for Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction with a rap on Tuesday, Feb. 25 outside the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City. Miller is the first candidate to announce their bid for state superintendent.

Miller made his announcement on the steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol on Tuesday during a Public Schools Day rally. His announcement came in the form of a rap inspired by Eminem's "Lose Yourself." Before donning a Marines beanie, Miller said, "if you had one shot, one opportunity, would you take it or let it slip away?"

He continued with a rap encouraging Oklahomans to stand up for public schools, and stated that he would not let the future of Oklahoma schools slip and that he's "stepping up," he's "all in," and he's "here to stay." He finished his first verse by announcing that he will be running for state superintendent, and received loud cheers from the teachers gathered for the Public Schools Day rally.

He concluded the rap with a second verse by stating that "it's time to bring leadership back home where it's right for the students first" and "end the chaos and reunite." His final reiterated that he's ready and hopes that Oklahomans are too.

Miller is no stranger to rapping official announcements. On Feb. 12, a video of Miller rapping a snow day announcement for Bixby Public Schools went viral.

Miller will retire from Bixby Public Schools at the end of the school year.

Miller is 63 and a registered Republican. He is expected to retire from Bixby Public Schools at the end of the school year. Miller has already filed the official paperwork with the state Ethics Commission for his candidacy. As of Tuesday, Feb. 25, no other bids for state superintendent have been announced.

The current state superintendent, Ryan Walters, is able to run for a second term but no official announcement has been made yet. Walters has held the position of state superintendent since 2023, and Oklahomans are set to elect a new state superintendent in 2026.

Oklahoma citizens, public school officials, teachers, state lawmakers and even the governor have had contention with Walters, varying from hateful rhetoric, withholding funding to false accusations. Miller currently has a pending lawsuit against Walters in the Tulsa County District Court. Miller sued Walters for defamation after Walters called Miller a "liar," "clown" and a "true embarrassment," and stated that the Bixby school district has "all kinds of financial problems."

Miller stated his bid has 'nothing to do with politics.'

When speaking with the Oklahoma Voice after his campaign announcement, Miller indicated that he will not be in the race for political gain.

"This is about going to the state Department [of Education], rolling up my sleeves and working hard on behalf of Oklahoma’s students and families because I have no aspirations beyond this job unlike other people," Miller said.

Part of Miller's campaign will be to address the current teacher shortage and bring back "pride and respect" to education. He believes politics are looming over Oklahoma schools and educators, points the finger at Walters as the cause.

"Right now, teachers feel like they’re under a storm cloud," Miller told Oklahoma Voice. "They're afraid to teach certain things. They're afraid to speak out because of retribution from certain leaders, and what I want teachers to know is we support you [and] we value you."