Under new leadership, the Oklahoma State Department of Education will rescind a mandate from the previous superintendent that forced public schools to place Bibles in classrooms and incorporate the book into lesson plans for students.
Last year, former Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a directive for Oklahoma public schools to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, saying in the mandate that “immediate and strict compliance” was expected.
“Every teacher, ever classroom in the state will have a Bible in the classroom, and will be teaching from the Bible.”
The mandate in Oklahoma was the latest in a series of efforts by conservative leaders to incorporate religion into classrooms and quickly drew condemnation from civil rights groups.
Many schools districts across the state had decided not to comply with the Bible mandate.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education, under new leadership, will revoke a previous superintendent’s order requiring public schools to have Bibles in classrooms and include the book in student lesson plans.
According to a press release obtained by CBS affiliate KWTV, the Oklahoma State Department of Education intends to file a motion to dismiss ongoing lawsuits against the former superintendent and his office for their intentions to introduce religion into public classrooms. Their move coincides with the court’s request for status updates on those cases in light of what the release called “significant turnover among public officials named as respondents,” which is a result of new department leadership.
Recently appointed Superintendent Lindel Fields said in a statement, “We have no plans to distribute Bibles or a Biblical character education curriculum in classrooms, and plan to file a motion to dismiss.”. “The team and I are currently reviewing the budget, so if resources need to be allocated, the timing is favorable. “.”.
A directive was issued last year by former Superintendent Ryan Walters, stating that “immediate and strict compliance” was expected from Oklahoma public schools regarding the inclusion of the Bible in lessons for grades 5 through 12.
“The Bible is a necessary historical document to teach our kids about the country,” Walters stated in a video posted on social media at the time. “All teachers and classrooms throughout the state will have Bibles and use them as a source of instruction. “,”.
Civil rights organizations swiftly denounced the Oklahoma mandate, which was the most recent in a string of attempts by conservative leaders to introduce religion into the classroom. The order sparked a lawsuit from a group of parents, educators, and religious leaders that is currently pending before the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
As a result of Walters’ resignation last month and acceptance of a private sector position, Oklahoma Gov. Fields will be appointed superintendent by Kevin Stitt.
Attorney Jacki Phelps of the Oklahoma State Department of Education said she plans to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and inform the court of the agency’s intention to revoke the mandate.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs in the case expressed their encouragement at Fields’ ruling and said they will talk to their clients about what to do next.
According to a statement released by the lawyers, “the attempts to promote religion in the classroom and the abuses of power that the Oklahoma State Department of Education engaged in under Walters’ tenure should never happen in Oklahoma or anywhere in the United States again.”.
Numerous school districts throughout the state had made the decision to disregard the Bible mandate.
According to Tara Thompson, a spokesman for the state education department, Fields feels that districts should make the final decision about whether or not to use the Bible in the classroom and that purchasing Bibles is not the best use of tax dollars.
In March, following a legislative panel’s rejection of his $3 million request to fund the endeavor, Walters announced plans to collaborate with country music artist Lee Greenwood in an effort to raise funds to get Bibles into classrooms.
During his administration, far-right Republican Walters made combating “woke ideology,” removing certain books from school libraries, and firing “radical leftists” who he says were brainwashing students in classrooms a top priority. Following his election in 2020, he developed new social studies standards for K–12 public school students, including instruction on conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 presidential election. He also imposed a number of other mandates on public schools. While a legal action contesting those standards proceeds, they have been suspended.
According to Thompson, the agency intends to examine all of Walters’ directives, including the requirement that candidates for teaching positions from California and New York take an ideology test, to see if they can also be revoked.
“All of those mandates need to be reviewed in order to give schools clarity going forward,” she stated.
