Stitt rescinds anti-masker’s board appointment

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday rescinded his appointment to the State Board of Education of an Enid woman who led an anti-mask crusade in the northwest Oklahoma City. Stitt said in a statement he rescinded the appointment of Melissa Crabtree at her request.

“I was extremely disappointed to see how many were so quick to judge her without taking the time to personally speak to her,” Stitt said.

“Ms. Crabtree is a loving mother and wife, and her public school teaching experience and work with special needs children would have been valuable assets to our state. However, it’s become clear that Democrats and unions only value the voices of teachers when they are willing to fall in line with their political agendas.”

Crabtree had faced fierce criticism from Democrats in the Legislature and some public education groups for social media posts in which she shared misinformation about the coronavirus and vaccines. The posts were first reported by the nonprofit journalism website Oklahoma Watch and were later hidden from public view on her Facebook page.

Stitt had appointed Crabtree after unexpectedly removing his previous selection, Kurt Bollenbach, from the board late last week. The governor’s office didn’t immediately respond to questions about Bollenbach’s removal.