Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades five through 12.
State school superintendent Ryan Walters says his mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”
He contends that since the Bible’s influence on America and Western civilization has been prominent, it’s important for students to be educated about its role in U.S. and world history.
“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in a statement. “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 has previously noted that America is in a culture war and he doesn’t want “woke ideology” spread by the state’s public schools.
Left-wing groups have predictably threatened legal action calling the state school superintendent’s move a violation of the U.S. Constitution.
“Public schools are not Sunday schools,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Oklahoma law explicitly allows Bibles in the classroom and lets teachers use them in instruction.
But earlier this week the Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked the state’s attempt to launch the first publicly funded religious charter school in the U.S.
