An Oklahoma County judge has issued a temporary injunction against a recently passed state law that prohibits public school districts from implementing mask mandates.

Judge Natalie Mai said Wednesday she will temporarily block Senate Bill 658, which became law in May, and added that students or their parents can choose to opt-out if a school issues a mask mandate. Mai said she is blocking the law because it applies only to public schools, and schools adopting a mask mandate must provide an opt-out option.

Dr. Bob Gragg, Superintendent of Seminole Public Schools, said Wednesday that he was “looking forward to learning more details” about the ruling. At press time, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister was scheduled to address school leaders across Oklahoma Wednesday afternoon via a scheduled Zoom call, and Gragg said he would “hear what she has to say as we continue to stay informed about this decision.”

“There is nothing more important to Seminole Public Schools than the safety and health of our students, our staff and their families, and for the school community,” Gragg said. “The district will not work in opposition to state law, and will continue to implore each and every one to help us keep the schools open for our students and families, and to keep everyone as safe as possible. Our teachers, support staff, school leaders and members of the board are committed to continuing to work together to provide the quality education for our students in a safe environment,” he added.

Wednesday’s ruling drew praise from Gov. Kevin Stitt, who signed the bill into law and opposes mask mandates without exemptions, and Dr. Mary Clarke, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, which joined the lawsuit brought by four parents who oppose the law.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education announced an investigation into Oklahoma and four other states - Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah - that banned or limited mask requirements in schools. The department said the policies are potentially discriminatory against students with disabilities or health conditions.

Other states, including Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona, previously outlawed mask mandates, but the policies were overturned by courts or are not being enforced.