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Friday, June 28th, 2024

Oklahoma state superintendent orders schools to teach the Bible in grades 5 through 12

Author:     Sean Murphy
Source:     Associated Press
Publication Date:     June 27, 2024 | 2:34 PM PDT
 Link: Oklahoma state superintendent orders schools to teach the Bible in grades 5 through 12
Stephan:  

Christian Nationalism across the country, but particularly in Republican-controlled Red States, is a growing trend with all kinds of implications, from the gutting of libraries, to how American history is taught, to how LGBTQ kids and issues are treated and taught, to outright attempts to breach the firewall between a pseudo-Christian theology and the state. Oklahoma, a deeply Red State is an example of what is going on.

Oklahoma White Christian Nationalist and Republican State Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters. Credit: Sue Ogrocki / AP

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA — Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive drew immediate condemnation from civil rights groups and supporters of the separation of church and state, with some calling it an abuse of power and a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The order sent to districts across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says adherence to the mandate is compulsory and “immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

“The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Walters said in a statement. “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.”

Oklahoma law already explicitly allows Bibles in the classroom and lets […]

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