Jason Lindley closed his school for a week and he isn’t happy with state leadership through the coronavirus pandemic.
The Hartshorne Public Schools superintendent announced Sunday night his school would close all facilities over spring break and suspend spring activities indefinitely after coronavirus concerns triggered emergency declarations in Oklahoma City and from the governor’s office.
Gov. Kevin Stitt said in his emergency declaration Sunday night the state now has eight confirmed coronavirus cases — which Lindley said calls for more guidance for schools and communities.
“I’m waiting on the governor to lead because leaving all these small communities to make these decisions when you’re dealing with a global pandemic is irresponsible,” Lindley said. “There’s too many people doing too many different things.”
The governor announced the state’s first confirmed coronavirus case on March 6. Pittsburg County Health Department officials said Friday there are no COVID-19 cases in southeastern Oklahoma.
President Donald Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency to allow as much as $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak.
Oklahoma and Maine became the last U.S. states to issue a state of emergency on Sunday evening.
State Superintendent of Education Joy Hofmeister told statewide school leaders on a conference call Friday that the department does not recommend large-scale school closures.
She also did not recommend districts shift to a virtual model to make up days missed or continue learning due to equity factors and referred several times to CDC recommendations.
Lindley said schools need state officials to provide an outline.
“If they’re leaving it up to me, I’m going to make the most informed decision with the most updated information we have so we’re taking it day by day,” Lindley said. “If the governor comes in tomorrow and tells us to shut it down, we’re going to shut it down.”
Hartshorne students were participating in the 2020 Oklahoma Youth Expo, which canceled the remainder of its events Sunday after Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt’s state of emergency restricting gatherings of at least 50 people.
On Thursday, Hartshorne students were in Oklahoma City as the girls basketball team was set to play in the state championship tournament before the OSSAA canceled the tournament just hours before tipoff. Hartshorne players and their families were staying at hotels in downtown Oklahoma City, where NBA players tested positive for coronavirus the previous night.
Lindley said he disagreed with the continuance of the OYE after the OSSAA cancellation, but wanted to give Hartshorne students the opportunity to participate in the livestock show.
“These kids worked hard and it’s a project they take on and a lot of times it’s a yearlong project,” Lindley said. “It’s heartbreaking but under the circumstances…I think we need to think human safety first.”
Contact Adrian O’Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com
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