Oklahoma’s Superintendent is requiring all public schools in the state to incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments within their curriculum in a new law that will become effective immediately.
On Thursday, Superintendent Ryan Walters announced in a memorandum that every classroom in the state from grades 5 through 12 must have a Bible, and educators are mandated to teach from it. However, there have been no guidelines disclosed to clarify what these lessons would entail and how extensive they would be.
At a State Board of Education meeting, Walters said the Bible is “one of the most foundational documents used for the Constitution and the birth of our country.” He continued on to state: “It’s crystal clear to us that in the Oklahoma academic standards under Title 70 on multiple occasions, the Bible is a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization, to have an understanding of the basis of our legal system.”
In reaction to the legislation, public advocacy groups have argued Walters’ decision goes against the country’s values and the purpose of secular education.
Interfaith Alliance, a national organization that aims to protect religious freedoms, told CNN in a statement on Thursday: “This is blatant religious coercion that should have absolutely no place in public schools- in Oklahoma or any other state.”
“True religious freedom means ensuring that no one religious group is allowed to impose their viewpoint on all Americans. The vast majority of people of faith in this country reject these dangerous, intimidating efforts to force a Christian nationalist agenda into our schools, our courts and our government,” the statement read.
The memorandum comes after the Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked an effort to establish the first publicly funded religious charter school in the country. The court ordered the state to rescind its contract with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in a 6-2 decision with one recusal on Tuesday.
Walters called the ruling “one of the worst” decisions the state Supreme Court has made and vowed to “fight back,” instating the public school mandate just two days later.
Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union commended the court’s decision, maintaining, “Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and serve all students.”
