On Friday, April 17, Governor Stitt stated that, after speaking with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, he would dedicate a portion of $40 million in federal relief dollars to "back-filling" school vouchers in Oklahoma.

No one should take advice from Betsy DeVos, the least qualified education secretary in the history of America.

We are in an emergency, our teachers and support professionals are on the front lines of feeding and educating hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma children every day. They are the experts on the needs of our children and our schools.

Especially in this emergency, this money shouldn’t be going to tax breaks for the rich. It should be going to Oklahoma’s children.

OEA has listened to educators across the state in a dozen town halls this week and back-filling voucher programs has not been mentioned once. You know what has been mentioned as an emergency?

• Broadband connectivity needs in rural areas
• Education technology
• Mental health services
• Protective equipment and cleaning supplies for schools

These are the needs of our kids and schools.