The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

I still follow news from Oklahoma and Tulsa almost daily.  I've been loosely following as the Epic Charter School saga has unfolded over the last year or so.  A couple of articles from the Tulsa World had me curious why Governor Stitt has been so steadfast in running interference for Epic.  Has anyone started looking at prior business relationships between him and principals of Epic?

Apparently anything at Epic hasn't risen to criminal proportions as they are still open for business.  It just seems like oversight of Epic has been incredibly slipshod and there's almost like a cult surrounding this charter school.  I'm not sure I'd heard of Epic prior to moving away from Tulsa.  Who do they appeal to?  Are they some sort of church-affiliated group that started this?  I know Stitt is a deep fundie and big school voucher advocate so that sort of made sense he'd be a fan.  From the sounds of it, Epic has been incredibly profitable for a few in it's administration and board.

I'm surprised I've not seen much chatter on the issue, curious if anyone wants to chime in.  First he removes the president of the virtual learning board because he's been leading an investigation into Epic.  Then Stitt removes a state BOE board member who wanted to pull back $11 million in funding from Epic and wanted a mask mandate in schools.  Then Stitt's replacement for the board declines the position claiming intimidation and Stitt goes off on teacher unions, etc. She's also a rabid anti-masker.

Stitt is a really troubling governor between injecting an overtone of almost religious cultism and some seriously blatant corruption running interference for Epic, or is that part of his self-appointed religious mission as well?  What troubles me even more is if he were to be indicted at some point prior to the next election, I can see him getting reelected.  

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/stitt-removes-board-president-leading-inquiries-into-epic-charter-schools-and-board-member-conflicts-of/article_130a8a24-2608-11eb-bef1-438bf1547bb6.html

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/gov-kevin-stitts-new-appointee-to-state-board-of-education-backs-out/article_c2cd31e6-38d2-11eb-a9f0-b3c50aca8766.html#utm_source=tulsaworld.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Fbreaking&utm_medium=PostUp&utm_content=a3596d1651fd2cc87a5a98a0071079fbea7fd2c4

Gov. Stitt defends appointment of anti-mask crusader to Education Board
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.

Melissa 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.

 “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."

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/education/gov-stitts-new-appointee-to-oklahoma-state-board-of-education-backs-out/article_c2cd31e6-38d2-11eb-a9f0-b3c50aca8766.html

Little old but Stitt is still around as is Hofmeister.

Was told about this and response was, "No way."   The saw this about Hofmeister and fell out laughing!   But yeah, I can see how she would be stupid enough to think anyone would accept her as a Dem, let alone someone interested in education!!

https://www.yahoo.com/news/oklahoma-schools-leader-switches-parties-132211190.html

.

We wouldnt necessarily have to accept her as a dem, but rather as a better alternative to someone who has more loyalty to extremist party members than the lives of his constituents.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/08/politics/oklahoma-joy-hofmeister-2022/index.html

This. An actual Democrat isn't electable in Oklahoma. She is far preferable to Stitt or Fallon. Don't make the perfect the enemy of the good.

The founders of Epic Charter Schools have been arrested.

https://www.newson6.com/story/62b4b8d82558180728f95320/founders-of-epic-charter-schools-arrested

Clearly they didn't pay off the right people.  ::)

It would be sad if they do serious time and implicate Stitt. So so sad.