Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Thursday that all public schools must incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments into their curriculum.
Walters emphasized these texts’ historical and ethical significance, asserting their relevance to the foundational principles of American society.
“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,” Walters wrote in a memorandum directed to public schools. The directive mandates that fifth through twelfth-grade students must study these texts.
“This is not merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp our country’s core values and historical context,” Walters added. The memo also indicated that further information on monitoring and implementing this directive for the 2024-25 school year would be provided, with the Education Department offering support materials.
The directive has sparked immediate criticism from opponents who argue it infringes on the separation of church and state. President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Rachel Laser, denounced the directive: “Public schools are not Sunday schools.
Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters has repeatedly clarified that he cannot distinguish the difference and is unfit for office. His latest scheme — to mandate the use of the Bible in Oklahoma public schools’ curriculum is a transparent, unconstitutional effort to indoctrinate and religiously coerce public school students.”
This development follows recent actions in other states, such as Louisiana, where the governor signed a law requiring posters of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. This law has already faced legal challenges from civil liberties organizations.
Additionally, the announcement comes shortly after the Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down the nation’s first religious charter school as unconstitutional, a decision that Walters has publicly criticized.
As the debate over the role of religion in public education intensifies, the directive from Superintendent Walters is set to be a focal point of contention in the upcoming school year.
