In June 2024, top educational officials in Oklahoma mandated that schools begin incorporating the Bible into lessons. A directive issued by Republican state Superintendent Ryan Walters stated that this rule is compulsory and requires “immediate and strict compliance.” The rule will apply to all public school students aged approximately 11 to 18. This decision followed Louisiana’s governor signing a law requiring all public schools in that state to display the Ten Commandments, as reported by BBC.
Recently, a group of Oklahoma parents, teachers, and ministers filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the enforcement of this mandate.The lawsuit requests the court to prevent state officials from forcing schools to integrate the Bible into lesson plans. Additionally, it seeks to stop Superintendent Walters from spending approximately $3 million to purchase Bibles in support of his mandate, reports Associated Press (AP).
According to the lawsuit, this mandate violates the Oklahoma Constitution by using public funds to support a religious text and favoring one religion over others by requiring the use of a Protestant version of the Bible. The case is represented by several civil rights organizations, including the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
On October 18, Watlers took to his official X (formally Twitter) handle and wrote, “Oklahomans will not be bullied by out-of-state, radical leftists who hate the principles our nation was founded upon. The simple fact is that understanding how the Bible has impacted our nation, in its proper historical and literary context, was the norm in America until the 1960s and its removal has coincided with a precipitous decline in American schools. It is not possible for our students to understand the American history and culture without understanding the Biblical principles from which they came, so I am proud to bring back the Bible to every classroom in Oklahoma. I will never back down to the woke mob, no matter what tactic they use to try to intimidate Oklahomans.”
This is not the first lawsuit challenging the mandate; another lawsuit was filed in June and is currently pending in Mayes County.
As the legal battle unfolds over the controversial mandate to incorporate the Bible into Oklahoma public school curricula, the implications of the decision will extend far beyond the classroom. The lawsuit filed by parents, teachers, and civil rights organizations raises critical questions about the separation of church and state, and whether or not public funds should be allocated to support a religious text. With State Superintendent Ryan Walters firmly standing by his directive, claiming it is essential for understanding American history and culture, the state finds itself at a crossroads between educational policy and constitutional rights. The outcomes of these lawsuits may set significant precedents for religious freedom and educational practices in public schools across the country.
(With inputs from AP)