Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters recently announced that public schools in the state may soon be required to teach the Bible and the Ten Commandments, with religious texts mandated to be included in all classrooms.
Walters stated, “Every teacher, every classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom,” said last Thursday, to ensure that this historical understanding is there for every student in the state of Oklahoma.”
This announcement came shortly after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the state could not approve a religious charter school.
Walters’ memo states, “Effective immediately, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum.” The memo emphasizes the historical significance of the Bible and its influence on Western civilization and the nation’s founders.
While many public schools already reference religious texts in appropriate contexts, Walters’ memo leaves room for the development of specific curricula for teaching about the Bible in Oklahoma schools.
Walters explained his motivation for the memo, expressing concern that teachers were not adequately discussing the role of the Bible in American history. He plans to provide additional guidance to ensure compliance with the directive.
Legal experts are divided on the constitutionality of Walters’ directive, with some suggesting it may be legally problematic. However, Walters remains confident that the directive aligns with the Constitution.
“If we get sued and we get challenged, we will be victorious, because the Supreme Court justices [Donald Trump] appointed actually are originalists that look at the Constitution and not what some left-wing professor said about the Constitution,” Walters stated.
