Oklahoma Will Tell Public Schools To Treat Bible As 'Historical Document'
Ryan Walters
The State of Oklahoma appears to be poised to outdo Louisiana in its effort to inject Christianity into public schools, after a new announcement by the state's superintendent of public instruction.
On Thursday, ABC affiliate KOCO 5 News reported that Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters is now requiring all K-12 public school classrooms keep a copy of the Bible on hand, and to give it the same regard as a history textbook. The new policy is to be implemented "effective immediately."
"The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in the announcement. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction. This is not merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country.”
"Adherence to this mandate is compulsory. Further instructions for monitoring and reporting on this implementation for the 2024/25 school year will be forthcoming," he added. "Immediate and strict compliance is expected."
This is merely the latest ideological move by Walters in his efforts to infuse extremist politics with public education in the Sooner State. Earlier this year, he appointed far-right social media influencer Chaya Raichik — who runs the LibsofTikTok family of social media accounts — to the Department of Education Library Media Advisory Committee. This gave Raichik an availability to influence what educational materials will be available to Oklahoma's public school students.
Raichik's appointment came despite her siccing a mob of her supporters on a Tulsa-area elementary school librarian, which resulted in six consecutive days of bomb threats being called into the school. After a critic called her a "stochastic terrorist" — which is defined by someone whose words or actions inspires acts of terrorism — Raichik boasted about it in an interview, saying it made her "feel really important."
In March, Owasso High School student Nex Benedict, a 16 year-old gender non-conforming student who was frequently bullied, died by suicide. Sean Cummings, who is a Democratic member of the Oklahoma City Council, attributed Benedict's death to Raichik's invective and said she had "blood on her hands."
Walters was sharply criticized in a column published in the Oklahoman for being insensitive to Benedict's death. Author Clytie Bunyan wrote that "Oklahoma Republican politicians are bent on making the state unwelcome for LGBTQ+ kids and their families."
"The loss of our student in Owasso is tragic for the family, the community, and our state," Walters stated at the time. "The LGBTQ groups pushing a false narrative are one of the biggest threats to our democracy and I remain, more than ever, committed to never backing down from a woke mob."
"If Walters can't say something with compassion after the tragic loss of a child, then he should say nothing at all," Bunyan wrote. "This is a time Walters should pause to realize he has an opportunity to lead with compassion and work with the family and the school to foster a more inclusive environment."
Reprinted with permission from Alternet.
