A sweeping investigation into the use of Oklahoma's pandemic education relief funds has resulted in sharp criticism but no criminal charges, authorities said. The Multi-County Grand Jury’s report, released by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office, pointed to substantial issues with how the Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds were managed, as per FOX 25 News. The jury voiced its disapproval calling the fund's oversight "irresponsible, disappointing, and indefensible," though they concluded there was no evidence of willful corruption or criminal action.
As reported by The Oklahoman, the jurors criticized Governor Kevin Stitt and State Superintendent Ryan Walters, tagged indirectly, for what was dubbed "grossly negligent" handling of the money meant to mitigate educational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reacting to the findings, Governor Stitt accused the grand jury of being "weaponized" while Superintendent Walters deflected the blame.
According to the grand jury report, there was a blatant misdirection of funds within the programs. Specifically, the Stay in School program reportedly allocated $1.8 million to schools where students weren't paying tuition or were already receiving substantial discounts. This was while families struggling due to the pandemic missed out, underlining the failure of the program to meet its intended purpose, as indicated by KFOR News.
In addition to these concerns, the inquiry found, as FOX 25 News reports, that around $1.7 million in Bridge the Gap (BTG) funds were spent on items unrelated to education such as doorbell cameras, smartwatches, and even Christmas trees. State Representative Jacob Rosecrants criticized the oversight by the head of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma, Ryan Walters, at the time, asserting the governor also bears responsibility since he appointed Walters to supervise the Bridge the Gap initiative. "When you find... malfeasance or mismanagement you root that out," Rep. Rosecrants emphasized, reflecting on the stark dismissal of oversight.
This controversy emerges against the backdrop of an earlier-dismissed lawsuit by Governor Stitt against ClassWallet, a Florida-based vendor, which Attorney General Gentner Drummond had termed as a "smokescreen for negligent state actors," according to KFOR News. Although no criminal wrongdoings were concluded through the legal proceedings, the report's findings raise grave concerns about the stewardship of public funds during an unprecedented global health crisis. The affair now stands as a stark cautionary tale, epitomizing the enduring complexities of governing in distress while maintaining the public trust.
