Oklahoma’s top education official, State Superintendent Ryan Walters, has ordered public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12. This directive has been met with condemnation from civil rights groups and supporters of the separation of church and state, who see it as an abuse of power and a violation of the U.S. Constitution.
While Oklahoma law already allows Bibles in the classroom, it is not clear if Walters has the authority to mandate that schools teach it. Critics argue that forcing religion into public school curriculum goes against the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
The directive is part of a larger trend in conservative-led states to target public schools, with efforts to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, teach the Bible, ban books discussing race and sexual orientation, and more. Walters, who ran on a platform of fighting “woke ideology,” has faced criticism for appointing a right-wing social media influencer to a state library committee.
The controversy comes at a time when the debate over religion in public schools is heating up nationwide, with some advocating for a broader inclusion of diverse religious perspectives while others push for a more strict separation of church and state. As the debate continues, civil rights groups and advocates for religious freedom will likely continue to push back against efforts to impose specific religious beliefs in public school settings.
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