Ryan Walters, a right-leaning educator who drew criticism from across the political spectrum for his efforts to inject religion into public schools, will resign from his post as Oklahoma’s school superintendent.

He will join the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a conservative nonprofit group, as its chief executive, the organization announced Thursday on its website. “Walters fearlessly fights the woke liberal union mob,” the group said.

Mr. Walters was elected state superintendent in 2022. Throughout his tenure, he staked out conservative positions that often drew national controversy. In June 2024, for example, he issued a directive that all Oklahoma public schools must teach the Bible, including the Ten Commandments.

He recently said that all Oklahoma high schools should have a chapter of Turning Point USA, the right-wing youth group founded by Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated earlier this month. And during his tenure, the state adopted social studies learning standards that echoed President Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

When President Trump was assembling his current cabinet, Mr. Walters was discussed as a possible nominee for secretary of education. He has also indicated interest in running for governor. He was clearly politically ambitious, but consistently drew criticism from liberals and also some conservatives. They worried that his policies blurred the separation of church and state, and injected ideology into the classroom.

He announced this year that Oklahoma would require some teachers from out of state who wished to work in Oklahoma to first pass a test meant to screen for what he called “woke indoctrination.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.