Public schools in Oklahoma have been required to teach the bible starting immediately.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education sent a memo on Thursday to all state superintendents of public schools, stating that “Effective immediately, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels.”
State Superintendent Ryan Walters declared that “the Bible is an indispensable historical cultural touchstone.” “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction,” Walters added. He further stated, “This is not a merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our steps grasp the core values and historical context of our nation.”
The announcement follows a similar order in Louisiana, a neighboring state, where Republican Governor Jeff Landry signed a controversial bill mandating that all public schools and colleges display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Texas has also published new reading requirements, including Bible references, that are pending approval. The Bible and the Ten Commandments “will be referenced as an appropriate study if history of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like, as well as for their substantial influence on our nation’s foundational principles of our Constitution,” according to a statement released by Oklahoma’s Department of Education on Thursday.
Additionally, the department stated that the new directive complies with the teaching standards “approved on May 2019” and may provide Bible teaching materials “to ensure uniformity in delivery.”
The statement also coincides with the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision to declare publicly-funded religious schools unconstitutional, preventing the nation’s first-ever public funds from supporting a private Catholic charter school.
In response to the court’s decision, Walters declared, “It is my firm belief that the Oklahoma Supreme Court made a mistake.” “The words “separation of church and state’ do not appear in our Constitution, and it is outrageous that the Oklahoma Supreme Court misunderstood key cases involving the First Amendment and sanctioned discrimination against the Christians based solely on their faith,” Walters added. “Oklahoma has demanded school choice nit religious targeting.”
