ALTUS VISIT
ALTUS - Gov. Kevin Stitt insisted Friday his refusal to issue a mask mandate would not have saved lives.
In his remarks to the Southwest Oklahoma Women’s Republican Club in Altus, Stitt other states exercised “extreme draconian” actions by declaring mask mandates and shutting down businesses, but Oklahoma’s economy prevailed by staying open.
“I just don’t believe the government should mandate certain things,” he said.
In his early comments to the Republican women’s club, Stitt said he intends to protect Oklahomans’ lives, faith and freedoms. He also said that COVID hospitalizations are down 77% from its peak.
“We set out as our main goals to keep kids in school and to keep businesses open,” he said. “Other states are now following our lead.”
Stitt said he has pleaded with the state’s two largest school districts – Oklahoma City and Tulsa – to continue in-person schooling and to avoid virtual learning.
“I’ve had single parents calling me wanting to know when school was going to reopen,” the governor said. “We now have 100 percent of our school districts open.”
Stitt also suggested that mental illness and suicide cases among youth have increased because schools shut down and resorted to virtual learning.
The governor also told the Altus group that he is pushing for open transfers for public school students before the legislative session ends in May.
“I want to put the power back in the parents’ hands,” he said. “I want the money to follow the students.”
School districts are allotted a certain amount of money per student based on a state aid formula. Stitt and many Republican lawmakers contend students should be able to attend any school district of their choice. They also believe the money originally paid to the first district should then be designated to the new school district.
As of March 5, more than 4,500 Oklahomans had died from the coronavirus and more than 427,000 people in the state have contracted the Covid-19. “Any death is too much and it breaks my heart” the Governor.
President Joe Biden has encouraged Americans to wear masks for the first 100 days of his presidency to reduce the spread of the virus, especially since new variants of the disease have made their way into the U.S. The president also has signed executive orders that require interstate travelers and people on federal property to wear masks.