Oklahoma's Superintendent Ryan Walters has mandated Bible instruction in public schools, sparking intense debate over religious freedom and educational policy. With reactions from civil liberties groups and state officials, this new directive could reshape the landscape of Oklahoma's public education.

Written By Annie Oakley // EEW Magazine Online

Oklahoma's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, has issued a directive requiring public schools to teach the Bible and maintain a copy in every classroom. This decision follows a state Supreme Court ruling against funding for a religious charter school.

Effective immediately, Oklahoma schools must integrate the Bible into the curriculum for grades five through 12. Walters’ memo to all school districts emphasizes the Bible's and the Ten Commandments' "substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution." The memo also states, “Immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

Speaking at a state Board of Education meeting, Walters declared, “We’ll be teaching from the Bible in the classroom to ensure that this historical understanding is there for every student in the state of Oklahoma.”

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Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a civil liberties organization, criticized the new policy, arguing it infringes on religious freedom. CEO Rachel Laser stated, “This is textbook Christian Nationalism: Walters is abusing the power of his public office to impose his religious beliefs on everyone else’s children.” The organization is prepared to intervene, although it has not committed to legal action yet.

Walters, a former high school history teacher, has gained national recognition for his advocacy of incorporating Christian teachings into state education policy. Recently, Governor Kevin Stitt approved regulations proposed by Walters that include school prayer and the acknowledgment of a "Creator" and moral dichotomies in the state Education Department’s foundational values.

However, Walters has faced opposition. Governor Stitt issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies from sole-source contracts with marketing and PR firms after Walters hired a public relations firm for $200 per hour to boost his national profile.

The state Supreme Court recently ruled that a state contract to fund a Catholic charter school violated state and federal laws. Walters condemned the ruling as “sanctioned discrimination against Christians” and vowed to challenge it, while State Attorney General Gentner Drummond, also a conservative Republican, praised the decision as a victory for religious liberty.

“The framers of the U.S. Constitution and those who drafted Oklahoma’s Constitution clearly understood how best to protect religious freedom: by preventing the State from sponsoring any religion at all,” Drummond stated.

The controversy surrounding Walters' directive highlights the ongoing national debate over the role of religion in public education.

As Oklahoma moves forward with this mandate, the state could become a significant battleground for issues of church and state separation, setting a precedent that may influence educational policies across the country.

Debaters raise the question: Will this policy strengthen the historical understanding of students, or will it blur the lines between education and religious indoctrination?