Important Takeaways:
- Some state lawmakers opposed to the order said they aren’t necessarily opposed to the Bible being used or referenced. Two Democrats, who are former teachers, agree the Bible can provide important historical context.
- Where the lawmakers take issue is making teachers include the book in every lesson plan.
- “The districts are going to have to ensure that when they’re teaching our kids, when they talk about American history, when they talk about these moments that are historically factual, that the bible played a role, again not according to us, but according to those individuals in history, it will be covered in Oklahoma classrooms,” Walters said.
- “Highlighting the Bible is to fetishize one particular religious document to give it such significance in class that we start to lose sight of its meaning,” State Rep. John Waldron said.
- Despite no districts publicly getting on board with the Bible mandate, Walters wants to see it implemented statewide by the start of the school year.
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Important Takeaways:
- State Superintendent Ryan Walters said during opening comments of Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting that “every teacher, every classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom.”
- According to the memo obtained by StateImpact, “all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels, e.g., grades 5 through 12.”
- The memo to schools says the State Department of Education “may supply teaching materials for the Bible, as permissible, to ensure uniformity in delivery,” and “further instructions for monitoring and reporting on this implementation for the 2024/35 school year will be forthcoming.”
- Finally, it says adherence to the mandate is compulsory, and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”
- Though many Oklahoma schools start fall classes within the next two months, Walters indicated there was still significantly more guidance to come on implementation and compliance monitoring of the mandate.
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