Oklahoma to require schools to incorporate Bible, Ten Commandments in curriculum

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced on Thursday that all public schools in the state will be directed to incorporate teachings from the Bible and the Ten Commandments into their curriculum. Classrooms will be required to have a Bible, and teachers will be instructed to use it in accordance with academic standards and state law.

Walters emphasized the Bible's significance as an "indispensable historical and cultural touchstone," arguing that it should be taught to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Western civilization, the US legal system, and the nation's founding documents, including the Constitution.

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

Following the announcement, many critics have already spoken out and have argued that the initiative is unconstitutional. However, a spokesperson for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond pointed out that state law already permits the presence of Bibles in classrooms and allows teachers to use them for instruction.

The federal Department of Education states that public schools can teach about religion but are prohibited from providing religious instruction. Schools are permitted to teach about the role of religion in a historical context and from an educational point of view.

“Oklahoma kids will learn that the Bible and the Ten Commandments are foundational for Western civilization. The left is upset, but one cannot rewrite history,” Walters said in a post on X.

The announcement follows Louisiana's recent law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in public schools, a move that has immediately sparked legal challenges.