Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has mandated that schools across the state incorporate the Bible into their curricula and ensure a copy is present in every classroom. This directive comes just days after the state Supreme Court ruled against a publicly funded religious charter school.
Effective immediately, Oklahoma schools are required to include the Bible in the curriculum for grades five through twelve. Walters’ memo to all school districts emphasizes the Bible’s and the Ten Commandments’ significant influence on the nation’s founders and the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution. The memo stresses that “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”
At a state Board of Education meeting, Walters stated, “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.”
In response, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a nonprofit civil liberties group, condemned the new policy, claiming it infringes on the religious freedom of public-school students and their families. Rachel Laser, the group’s CEO, described the policy as “textbook Christian Nationalism” and accused Walters of using his public office to impose his religious beliefs on students.
Since taking office in January 2023, Walters has consistently advocated for integrating Christian beliefs into state education policy. His initiatives have included pushing for emergency rules to prevent students from changing the genders listed on their school files and publicly criticizing an Oklahoma principal who had a side gig as a drag performer. Walters has built a national profile as a staunch proponent of incorporating Christian teachings into public education.
Governor Kevin Stitt has supported Walters’ efforts, recently approving a package of regulations that includes time for prayer in schools and expands the state Education Department’s “foundational values” to acknowledge a “Creator” and the existence of good and evil. However, Walters’ approach has also drawn criticism. Following his decision to hire a public relations firm at $200 per hour to enhance his national media presence, Stitt issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies from entering sole-source contracts with marketing and public relations firms.
The controversy surrounding Walters intensified after the state Supreme Court ruled that a state contract to fund a Catholic charter school violated both state and federal law. Walters condemned the ruling as “sanctioned discrimination against Christians,” while State Attorney General Gentner Drummond, also a conservative Republican, praised the decision as a victory for religious liberty and the constitutional principle of preventing state sponsorship of religion.
Oklahoma’s new policy mandating Bible instruction in schools parallels recent actions in Louisiana, where a new law requires the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Both measures have sparked significant debate over the role of religion in public education and the separation of church and state.
In Louisiana, the law was enacted with the intent to emphasize the historical and moral significance of the Ten Commandments. Supporters argue that such displays reflect the country’s Judeo-Christian heritage and provide moral guidance to students. Critics, however, contend that the law violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by promoting a specific religious doctrine in public schools. Civil liberties groups, including Americans United for Separation of Church and State, have already initiated legal challenges to block the law, arguing that it imposes religious beliefs on students and infringes on their religious freedom.
Similarly, Oklahoma’s policy has been criticized for advancing Christian Nationalism and infringing on religious liberty. Both states’ actions highlight a broader trend of increasing efforts to incorporate religious elements into public education, raising questions about the appropriate balance between acknowledging historical influences and maintaining a secular educational environment.
While Louisiana’s law focuses on the passive display of a religious text, Oklahoma’s policy goes a step further by actively incorporating religious instruction into the curriculum. This distinction points out differing approaches to the same underlying goal of reintroducing religious elements into public schools. The outcomes of the legal challenges and public responses in both states will shape future debates on the intersection of religion and public education in the United States.
