close
close
Oklahoma Superintendent Unveils Guidelines for Teaching Bible in Schools

Oklahoma Superintendent Unveils Guidelines for Teaching Bible in Schools

This article was originally published in Oklahoma Voice.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma School District Superintendent Ryan Walters on Wednesday issued guidelines for how teachers should incorporate the Bible into public school curriculum. The guidelines include a requirement for analysis of Biblical stories and art.

And as school districts faced mounting resistance, he warned that districts that failed to comply would face consequences.

Specific grade guidelines apply to students in grades five through twelve. They require students to analyze literary elements of biblical stories and identify how they have influenced Western culture. For high school students, this requires them to write essays on the role of the Bible in literature, history, and culture. Works of art and music inspired by the Bible should also be taught.


Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for the 74 newsletter


Every classroom should have a physical copy of the Bible, the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments.

“The Bible is essential to understanding the development of Western civilization and American history,” Walters said in a statement. “To ensure that our students are equipped to understand and contextualize our nation, its culture, and its founding, every student in Oklahoma will learn the Bible in its historical, cultural, and literary context. As we implement these standards, our schools will maintain open communication with parents to ensure that they are fully informed and full partners in their children’s education.”

Walters announced at a meeting of the State Board of Education in June that the Bible would be included in the state curriculum. On Wednesday, however, his agency released specific guidelines on the inclusion of the Bible for the first time.

In the weeks following Walters’ announcement, some of the state’s largest counties have indicated they will not abide by the announcement.

Following the announcement, Midwest City-Del City Public Schools Superintendent Rick Cobb said in a statement that it is not appropriate to require the Bible to be present in classrooms or during lessons.

Related

New curriculum sparks Texas-sized controversy over Christianity in the classroom

“The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled this summer that the selection of teaching materials is a matter of local control,” Cobb said. “I hope that remains the law and our practice.”

Walters said he will ensure all districts comply.

“Some teachers in Oklahoma have indicated that they will not comply with the law and the standards of Oklahoma, so let me be clear: they will comply, and I will use every tool at my disposal to ensure that they do,” he said.

Mixed reactions and questions about legality

The new guidelines have elicited mixed reactions.

Annie Laurie Gaylorco-chair of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a watchdog organization for the state church, said the guidelines are unconstitutional.

“It’s just absurd,” Gaylor said. “And he’s just signaling as fast as he can, as loud as he can, that he expects schools to brainwash children into the Christian faith.”

While the group works with a coalition of other organizations to determine an action plan, Gaylor says they are taking their time to process the information.

Gaylor said it would be appropriate for a well-trained teacher to offer an optional Bible class to high school students.

“But what he’s saying is that every teacher should be given a Bible, and that’s just unconstitutional,” Gaylor said. “How about giving every teacher the Koran? How about giving every teacher Richard Dawkins’ blockbuster book, ‘The God Delusion’?”

Chuck Stetson, CEO of the New York-based Bible Literacy Project, said he commends the guidelines and hopes they will be implemented in every public school in the country.

“These are educational instructions (for) the public schools, and it’s perfectly legal, and it’s what kids need to know,” Stetson said.

The organization offers textbooks on the literature and influence of the Bible. Stetson said the guidelines are similar to the organization’s textbooks.

According to him, the Bible is not offered in public education, which is detrimental to students.

“For example, in Shakespeare, there are over 1,200 biblical references in Shakespeare’s 38 plays,” Stetson said. “I argue that if you don’t know the Bible, you can’t possibly know Shakespeare and what he’s talking about.”

According to Stetson, the Bible is the “most widely read literary book in the world,” and students miss out on literary and historical context when the Bible is not taught.

However, Stetson said he wasn’t sure how the curriculum additions could be implemented in the lower grades.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein with questions at [email protected]. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and X.