Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters gave school districts guidance on Wednesday on how to incorporate the Bible in their teaching.
“The radical leftist mob has tried to rewrite history in Oklahoma,” Walters told The Washington Examiner. “It stops today, and Oklahoma schools will refocus our kids’ education so they know the value of the Bible in its historical context. The woke radicals will not like it. They will not believe it. However, they will teach it in Oklahoma.”
The guidance informs teachers how they should incorporate the Bible's influence on history, literature, art, and music in lesson plans.
“The Bible is indispensable in understanding the development of Western civilization and American history,” Walters noted. “To ensure our students are equipped to understand and contextualize our nation, its culture, and its founding, every student in Oklahoma will be taught the Bible in its historical, cultural, and literary context. As we implement these standards, our schools will maintain open communication with parents to make sure they are fully informed and full partners in their kids’ education.”
Walters pushed back on critics in the state educational system who vowed to ignore the order, which was mandated last month. In an interview with The New York Times, he insisted the order did not infringe on students’ religious freedoms.
“We are not evangelizing to kids,” he said. “We are making sure our kids understand American history.”
— Superintendent Ryan Walters (@RyanWaltersSupt) July 24, 2024
Failure to comply could result in the state revoking accreditations for school districts or certifications for teachers, he told the Times.