Edward Gustavson, M.D., FAAP, has responded to a Tulsa World article that quoted State Superintendent Ryan Walters as saying he “will never back down to a woke mob.” Gustavson expressed his disagreement with Walters’ statement and criticized his failure to acknowledge the real issues faced by children today.

In a March 24 story titled”How many lawsuits name Ryan Walters as a defendant?”, Gustavson suggested that Walters deserves to be sued for his lack of understanding of the problems at hand. Drawing from his experience attending a 20-hour international meeting in 2006, Gustavson highlighted the complexity of sexual determination. Contrary to traditional beliefs that sex is determined by X and Y chromosomes at birth, Gustavson explained that genetic, physiologic, anatomic, psychological, and social factors all play a role in determining sex. He emphasized that early sex determination often proves to be inaccurate and that genetic diversity contributes to variations in sexual identity among individuals.

Gustavson also criticized Walters’ handling of education lawsuits and his remarks about judges, teachers, school districts, and parents. As a consultant for numerous school districts in Oklahoma, Gustavson argued that Walters’ perspective on these matters lacked credibility. He refuted the notion that Christian beliefs justify ignorance of science, law, and literature. Gustavson encouraged readers to voice their opinions by submitting letters to the editor through tulsaworld.com/opinion/submitletter