August 21-27 #oklaed News Brief

August 21

Tulsa World

• NE Oklahoma school district issues mask mandate; governor blasts decision
• Rising COVID-19 cases force some Oklahoma school districts to distance-learning pivot
  

KFOR 4

• Former Mid-Del Schools employee arrested, accused of trying to arrange for sex with children, attempting to receive child porn
  

KTUL 8

• Cherokee Nation providing masks to schools in tribe's reservation

August 22

The Oklahoman

• State superintendent candidate April Grace responds to 'insinuations'

KXII 12

• Zaneis students explore coding, esports in STEM lab

FOX 25

• COVID-19 cases continue to climb with kids in school

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August 23

Tulsa World

• Editorial: Can Oklahoma districts keep students in school and safe without 'mandating' masks?
• Education notebook: Jenks teacher wins ESL honors
  

Enid News & Eagle

• 'This is what we have in place': EPS supt. says district will keep current COVID policies
  

Oklahoma City Free Press

• Oklahoma Senate Bill 658 gave me COVID-19
  

KFOR 4

• Western Heights Interim Supt. mandates masks for students, staff
• Putnam City Schools to provide stipend for teachers, staff for receiving COVID-19 vaccine
• Hundreds of metro students test positive for COVID-19
  

News on 6

• Putnam City Public Schools consider vaccination incentive for teachers
  

News 9

• Edmond Public Schools deadline for virtual learning is August 25
• Teacher blames Oklahoma lawmakers as COVID's delta variant spreads in schools
  

FOX 25

• Putnam City hosting vaccine clinic for students and staff
• State-run school district implements mask mandate for students, staff and visitors

Public Radio Tulsa

• Cherokee Nation donating masks to school districts requiring them in defiance of state law
  

CNN

• How three school districts are defying state restrictions on mask mandates
  

Newsweek

• Vaccinated Oklahoma teacher blames COVID infection 'squarely' on lawmakers, Gov. Stitt‍
  

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August 24

The Oklahoman

• Which Oklahoma City metro-area schools are requiring masks? Check local districts here

Tulsa World

• Tulsa Public Schools had 41 COVID cases on Friday, board is told
  

OSDE

• Hofmeister announces $4.2 million grant to combat teacher shortage

Cherokee Phoenix

• Cherokee Nation donating masks to schools amid COVID-19 surge
  

Enid News & Eagle

• New law requires school districts to ask students for tribal affiliation
  

Oklahoma Watch

• Education watch: Vaccinated teachers are getting COVID-19
  

KJRH 2

• Okmulgee Public Schools implements mask mandate after reaching 'severe' COVID-19 risk level
  

KFOR 4

• $4.2 million grant awarded to Teach For America to combat Oklahoma teacher shortage
• Putnam City Schools officials revise Return to Learn plan’s mask policy; says employees expected to wear masks around the most vulnerable
• Edmond Public Schools apologizes after quarantine communication mistake leaves Chisholm Elementary parents scrambling for their child’s location
• “I need people to understand how prevalent it is”: Oklahoma suicide rates ascend amid pandemic
  

KOCO 5

• Hofmeister announces $4.2M grant to combat Oklahoma's teacher shortage
  

News 9

• Teacher spotlight: Mustang teacher earns statewide recognition
  

FOX 24

• Cameron Public School going virtual due to increase in students testing positive for COVID-19
  

FOX 25

• Burns Flat schools to resume in-person classes Monday
• Sapulpa mom wants mask mandate in schools after 6-year-old gets COVID

KGOU

• Despite high community spread, COVID quarantine rules loosen this school year in Oklahoma
  

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August 25

The Oklahoman

• Two Ninnekah board members resign, school leaders suspended after coach sex abuse claims
  

Tulsa World

• Okmulgee Public Schools recommending, not requiring mask wearing for students
• Tahlequah school board to consider joining lawsuit challenging state mask law
• Editorial: How can Gov. Stitt ignore the growing COVID-19 problem in his State of the State address?
  

OSDE

• Kathy Dodd named OSDE Chief Innovation Officer & Deputy Superintendent of Federal Programs
  

Enid News & Eagle

• Adult education class enrollment open at Enid Public Schools
  

Tahlequah Daily Press

• Tahlequah School Board votes against joining lawsuit against state over masking policy
  

McAlester News-Capital

• COVID-19 forces two southeast Oklahoma schools to distance learning
  

Wagoner County American-Tribune

• Wagoner Education Foundation awards over $20,000 of grants to Wagoner teachers
  

KFOR 4

• Hundreds of Oklahoma City metro area students in quarantine, concerns mounting among parents
• Putnam City Schools offering $1,000 to employees who get vaccinated against COVID-19
• Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee calls on governor to declare public health emergency
  

KOCO 5

• Oklahoma schools set up online trackers to see how many students test positive for COVID-19
  

KSWO 7

• Former Lawton teacher named Deputy Superintendent of Federal Programs for Oklahoma
  

KTUL 8

• Grove elementary school teacher dies after battling COVID-19 complications

News 9

• School nurses tasked with more duties while managing COVID exposures

FOX 25

• "Just get out of their way": Education Sec. calls for local control over school masking‍
  

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August 26

The Oklahoman

• Oklahoma's top school board calls for resignation of Western Heights schools leader
• Oklahoma City eighth grader, remembered as a 'beautiful soul,' dies of COVID-19
  

Tulsa World

• TPS to require masks for students, staff
• Oklahoma schools mourning COVID-19 deaths of student, teacher as Hofmeister urges precautions
  

Tahlequah Daily Press

• Amid positive tests, TPS preparing to go all-virtual
  

KJRH 2

• State superintendent: 8th-grade student, Grove teacher among recent COVID-19 deaths
  

KFOR 4

• 2 Oklahoma elementary schools moving to distance learning
• “Nothing ever gets done,” Choctaw-Nicoma Park parents react after complaint dismissed against Oklahoma bus driver accused of assault
  

KTUL 8

• Parents call on Stitt to declare health emergency, restore local control

FOX 23

• Grove teacher dies from COVID-19 complications
• Oklahoma Attorney General to sue school districts with mask mandates
• Carnegie Elementary extends suspension of in-person learning

FOX 25

• Oklahoma City 8th grader, teacher die of COVID, State Supt. Joy Hofmeister says
• Parents say Edmond students are being segregated based on vaccinated, unvaccinated

Public Radio Tulsa

• TPS superintendent: Still no mask requirement, but district 'strengthening' 'mask expectation'
  

AP News

• 2 resign, 2 suspended in sex abuse probe at Oklahoma school‍