Stitt and O’Connor criticize school and Biden over masking

Image: KOKH

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is criticizing both a northeast Oklahoma school district that adopted a mask mandate and President Joe Biden over comments that the state’s school mask mandate ban may violate a coronavirus aid package for schools.

The Republican Governor and state Attorney General John O’Connor released a joint statement on Thursday criticizing the Hulbert school district for its mask requirement.

Stitt’s criticism of Biden comes after U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in letters to Stitt and state school Superintendent Joy Hofmeister that the school mask ban may violate the American Rescue Plan that provided $123 billion to the nation’s schools to help them return to the classroom.

Stitt is one of several Governors that have attempted to ban schools from requiring masks. Critics contend that schools should be at least be free to determine if they feel such a requirement is necessary for them, even in the absence of a state level mandate.