The state is the fourth to have a court rule against its prohibition on school mask mandates, though the judge still required schools to let parents opt out of the mandate.
An Oklahoma judge issued a temporary injunction against the state’s ban on school mask mandates Wednesday—but said schools must allow students to opt out of the requirement—becoming the latest in a string of states to have its school mask mandate ban struck down in court. “Today is a victory for families, the safeguarding of schoolchildren and their opportunity to learn in-person,” Hofmeister said. “The court’s striking of the mask mandate prohibition on SB 658 now enables schools to fulfill their duty to protect and ensure equal protection for all students, including those with disabilities and most vulnerable in our schools.” 10. That’s the number of states that have enacted some form of restriction or ban on school mask mandates, though not all are in effect. In addition to Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Utah, South Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, Tennessee and most recently Montana have blocked school mask orders. Mai’s ruling follows other court orders in Arkansas and Florida that struck down those states’ prohibitions on school mask mandates, though Florida’s order is also not yet in effect until the judge signs a written order, which is expected imminently.
