Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, a far-right Christian nationalist, isn’t backing down from his push to place Bibles in all public-school classrooms in his state — much to the chagrin of his critics, who argue that promoting fundamentalist Christianity in public schools is a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s separation of church and state. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a vocal critic of Walters’ efforts.
Walters’ push is running into funding problems as well.
The MAGA Republican is asking for $3 million to place Bibles in Oklahoma classrooms, but according to Oklahoman reporter Alexia Aston, an Oklahoma Senate Education Appropriations subcommittee “nixed” that request on Wednesday, March 5.
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Aston reports, “The request was not considered by the subcommittee, said its chairman, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, Wednesday during the Senate Appropriations committee meeting. The subcommittee’s budget recommendation came as the state education agency announced Wednesday that it’s distributing Bibles to every Advanced Placement U.S. Government classroom across Oklahoma.”
Aston notes that in late January, Oklahoma State Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, a Republican, asked Walters if the Bibles had been distributed to classrooms — and he said he was working on it.
In a March 5 press release, Walters doubled down on his Christian nationalist agenda.
The Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction declared, “Students need to understand the foundation of American History. That’s the Bible, the Constitution, and The Declaration of Independence.”
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Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, on March 5, was asked about Walters’ efforts to place Bibles in public-school classrooms.
Stitt told The Oklahoman, “That’s why I believe in school choice. We love Christian schools and Catholic schools, and that’s why we passed the first ever religious charter school.”
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Read The Oklahoman’s full article at this link.
