At least 8 large Oklahoma school districts rebuke superintendent's order to teach Bible

OKLAHOMA CITY — Less than a month before Oklahoma school districts begin classes, the state schools superintendent issued guidance for how public schools might incorporate his directive that the Bible be taught in every classroom.

In late June, Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters ordered school districts statewide to integrate the Bible “as an instructional support into the curriculum" for grades five through 12. While the controversial mandate has prompted outrage from civil rights groups and some Democratic lawmakers, Walters has argued that the Bible is "foundational for education" and a "cornerstone of Western civilization."

The guidelines from Walters detail how teachers should add the Bible to their lesson plans and how it should be taught for different grades.

“Immediate and complete implementation of these guidelines for the 2024-2025 school year is required,” Walters said in a memo sent to district superintendents. “This memorandum and the included standards must be provided to every teacher, as well as providing a physical copy of the Bible, the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments as resources in every classroom in the school district. These documents are mandatory for the holistic education of students in Oklahoma.”

But the list of large districts that have said they won’t be altering their curriculum despite the directive has grown to at least eight.

The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has said state law already allows for the Bible to be taught in classrooms, but doing so is a district-by-district decision. Based on comments to the media and letters sent to patrons, most of the districts that don’t plan to implement the directive have leaned on that principle of local control in making their respective decisions concerning curriculum.

The Center for Education Law also has issued a memorandum to Oklahoma school districts calling Walters’ mandate invalid under state law. Earlier this year, the legal firm successfully represented Edmond Public Schools in the district’s lawsuit against Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education. Responding to that lawsuit, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the content of school libraries was a decision to be made by a local school board, not the state board.

Where do other states stand?Louisiana requires Ten Commandments in schools.

'No plans to change course from our current materials'

Piedmont Public Schools, in a letter to parents, said it adheres to the current set of Oklahoma State Academic Standards, which "acknowledge the significant influence of various religions in world history and culture."

"Studies include discussions on the impact of religion in shaping societies, traditions, and historical events," the Piedmont letter read. “However, it is important to clarify that while students learn about religion's role in historical and cultural contexts, teaching any specific religious doctrine or practice is not a part of the current standards."

Jenks Public Schools in suburban Tulsa also told parents they have "no plans to change course from our current materials."

“Jenks Public Schools will continue to use our current curriculum and approved resources aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards approved by the Oklahoma State Legislature,” the letter said.

Other large districts that have indicated they won’t follow the directive, but will stick with their locally approved curriculum, are Norman Public Schools, Moore Public Schools, Stillwater Public Schools, Bixby Public Schools, Yukon Public Schools, and the Deer Creek School District.

Oklahoma House Democrats urged more school districts to join the eight that said they plan not to follow Walters' directive.

"The state superintendent continues to feel emboldened enough to make mandates he has no authority to implement,” said Rep. Cyndi Munson, of Oklahoma City, the House minority leader. "This is nothing more than an attempt to strip Oklahomans of their religious freedom. The state superintendent can say this Bible mandate is not for religious purposes all he wants, but his unlawful, unfunded mandate and clear disregard for the legislative process says otherwise."

What does Ryan Walters' guidance concerning Bible teaching contain?

The five-page document that lists the guidance says it “provides guidelines for teachers on how to approach incorporation in a manner that emphasizes only its historical, literary and secular benefits, ensuring compliance with legal standards and precedents.” It includes guidance on using the Bible to teach historical context, including its impact on Western civilization and U.S. history; as well as to teach its literary significance and the influence it’s had on art and music.

Under a section labeled “Implementation Strategies,” the document has subsections labeled “Textual Analysis,” “Comparative Studies,” “Historical Documents and Speeches” and “Critical Thinking and Discussion,” with ways Walters wants the Bible taught in classrooms.

The document also includes grade-specific guidelines, for students in grades five through 12. It also includes a “Legal Considerations” section. Among those instructions:

• “Ensure that all instruction is conducted in a neutral and objective manner. Teachers must not promote or favor any religious beliefs, focusing solely on the historical and literary aspects of the Bible.”
• “Acknowledge the Bible’s influence while recognizing and respecting the diversity of religious beliefs among students. Incorporate perspectives from other religious and secular traditions to provide a balanced view while remaining mindful of all rules for grade level and age level appropriate material.”
• “Maintain open communication with parents about the purpose and content of incorporating the Bible as an instructional support into the curriculum. Provide information on how the curriculum addresses historical and literary aspects, emphasizing that it is not an endorsement of any religious belief.”
• “The Bible must be used in student instruction for its historical, literary and secular value and is not to be used for religious purposes such as preaching, proselytizing or indoctrination.”

Neither the original directive nor the guidance provided Wednesday indicated who would pay for the Bibles necessary to include one in every classroom, as Walters wants. There also hasn't been any indication from Walters which version, or versions, of the Bible would be acceptable to teach from.

Walters vows to force school districts to comply

In ordering instruction on the Bible, Walters has cited broad authority under Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which governs state education. The law reads, in part, “School districts shall exclusively determine the instruction, curriculum, reading lists and instructional materials and textbooks, subject to any applicable provisions or requirements as set forth in law, to be used in meeting the subject matter standards. School districts may, at their discretion, adopt supplementary student assessments which are in addition to the statewide student assessments.”

In its letter to school districts, the Center for Education Law said it believes Walters did not follow the state’s Administrative Procedures Act (APA) in issuing his directive. The APA governs the actions of state agencies and requires administrative rules to be authorized by law and passed by the agency’s governing board.

The law group maintains the state Supreme Court, in its decision in Edmond’s lawsuit, “held unanimously that (the state Board of Education) may not exercise power unless the legislature has specifically delegated it that authority.”

Walters believes he has the authority to issue such a directive and issued a veiled threat to districts that won’t obey it: “Some Oklahoma educators have indicated they won’t follow the law and Oklahoma standards, so let me be clear: they will comply, and I will use every means to make sure of it.”

Walters' order is the latest effort by conservative-led states to spread religious teachings into public classrooms.

Under a law signed by Louisiana's governor in June, every public classroom in Louisiana will be required to display the Ten Commandments. Other state leaders, including in Texas, have also proposed a curriculum that incorporates teachings from the Bible in schools.

Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY