Oklahoma To Require Public Schools To Teach the Bible
Last week, Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters announced that the state could soon require public schools to teach the Bible and the Ten Commandments, including requiring religious text be included in all classrooms.
“Every teacher, every classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom,” Walters said last Thursday, “to ensure that this historical understanding is there for every student in the state of Oklahoma.”
The statement came just days after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the state could not approve a religious charter school.
“Effective immediately, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum,” reads Walters’ memo. “The Bible is one of the most historically significant books and a cornerstone of Western civilization, along with the Ten Commandments. They will be referenced as an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like, as well as for their substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution.”
It’s not exactly clear how this memo will affect school curriculums. Most public schools already reference the Bible—and other religious texts—where appropriate as part of instruction on world religions, world history, or other classes. However, Walters’ memo did leave open the possibility that Oklahoma’s Education Department would develop curricula g
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