Anti-Semitic Tweets of Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board Member David Rutkauskas

David Rutkauskas was appointed to the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board in November, 2024.  Sean Kelly, publisher of UnhappyFranchisee.Com and its predecessor (Franchise Pick), remembers being bullied & sued in 2013 by David Rutkauskas.   Kelly had published comments & complaints from failed & failing franchisees of Rutkauskas’ Beautiful Brands, International (BBI).  Rutkauskas sought to silence Kelly and suppress his franchisees’ warnings by filing a baseless lawsuit and launching a series of public Twitter attacks that included vulgar, racist, anti-semitic, and homophobic insults and slurs.  Eventually, Rutkauskas dropped the lawsuit, apologized to Kelly and his attorney and deleted his social media accounts.  by Sean Kelly

One does not need to be an expert investigator to discover the disturbing public attack on me, my family, and my attorney, Jon Fortman, by the newest member of the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, David Rutkauskas.

Screenshots of the personal attacks, which included thinly veiled threats of violence as well as anti-semitic, racist, homophobic & just plain immature insults and slurs, have been displayed on this site and indexed by Google since Rutkauskas posted them on Twitter in 2013.

Rutkauskas, who will now be involved in matters of religious freedom, education, and the separation of church & state, maintained a sustained attack over several months that included many anti-semitic tweets, including:

“@ jonfortman  R U a jew?” [to my attorney Jon Fortman]

“R U a Jew 2?” [to Claudia, a female commenter]

“@ jonfortman @franchisepick Are u a Jew or not?”

Rutkauskas made racial slurs directed at my (Caucasian) attorney, calling him “mambo lips.”

“@jonfortman sorry mambo lips your gee whiz small town english professor BS is pathetic.  u r the one who needs help.  you are nothing a nobody.”

He mentioned my family members by name & posted a photograph of my house and address.

David Rutkauskis repeatedly challenged me to a fistfight “like men,” implying his 81 year old father and his son might want to get in on the action too.

Even more disturbing were the physical threats, stating that he was coming to PA, and that “Guns are legal.”

“@ franchisepick fuck u kids & family r against you… u need a punch in the mouth…”

David Rutkauskas Appears to Have No Government or Educational Experience, Yet…

With the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board at the center of a national debate not only involving educational policy but the separation of church & state, the appointment of Rutkauskas is perplexing.  He appears to have no government or education experience.

In November, former Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, appointed David Rutkauskas to the nine-member Statewide Charter School Board, an executive agency that succeeded the now-dissolved Statewide Virtual Charter School Board.

According to reporter Murray Evans of The Oklahoman, Rutkauskas’ term will last until July 31, 2026.

The Statewide Charter School Board is embroiled in a controversy of far-reaching national significance and debate.

The dispute over whether public funds can be used to fund religious charter schools is going to be heard by the Supreme Court on April 30.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond will present oral arguments that the Statewide Charter School Board’s 2023 contract with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School is unconstitutional.

According to Tulsa World, the state statute defines charter schools as public schools and specifically prohibits them from affiliation with a nonpublic sectarian school or religious institution.

If Gentner Drummond’s argument fails, the Trump Department of Justice will likely be credited with allowing the first publicly funded private religious charter school.

Oklahoma Media Continues to Present David Rutkauskas as a Successful Entrepreneur

For years, Tulsa World and other Oklahoma media, as well as advertising-driven franchise publications, promoted the false narrative that David Rutkauskas-led franchise brands like Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe, Freshberry Yogurt, Rex’s Chicken, Coney Beach were successful and growing.

The Tulsa media’s reluctance to expose the truth about the failed and failing franchises sold by Beautiful Brands International (BBI) resulted in individuals and families ignoring the warnings from franchisees and proceeding to invest in doomed BBI franchises or engaging Rutkauskas’ franchise development services.

In reporting Rutkauskas’ appointment to the Oklahoma Charter School Board, Murray Evans of The Oklahoman stated:

Rutkauskas made his name in the world of restaurant franchising, founding Camille’s Sidewalk Café and eventually starting and leading a company known as Beautiful Brands International, which included multiple eateries among its portfolio.

Evans fails to mention that most of the franchised restaurants and many of the brands associated with the Rutkauskas’ success story are gone.

A search of the Oklahoma Court Records reveals that David Rutkauskas’ financial and legal woes from the failed franchise ventures continues – with an outstanding judgement of nearly half a million dollars against him, his wife Camille, his father Otto, Beautiful Brands International, Camille’s Franchise Systems, Freshberry Franchise System, LLC, Rex’s Franchise System, LLC even after a sheriff’s sale and liquidation of real estate. 

Is David Rutkauskas a Responsible Choice for the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board?

If Not, What Does this Say About The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board?

Please share your opinion below.

Also read:

BEAUTIFUL BRANDS INTERNATIONAL (BBI): Behind the Hype

BEAUTIFUL BRANDS: Why Franchise Bullying Backfires

JONATHAN FORTMAN: Corporate Bullying Part 2

David Rutkauskas Apologizes, Will Drop Lawsuit

BEAUTIFUL BRANDS, David Rutkauskas Drops Blogger Lawsuit

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Tags:  David Rutkauskas, Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, Oklahoma Charter School Board, Attorney General Gentner Drummond,  OK Charter School Board v. Drummond, Att’y Gen. of OK,  St. Isidore of Seville School, SLAPP suits, corporate bullying, religious charter schools