Civil Rights Organizations Request Records Related to Oklahoma Biblical Schooling Mandate
Civil Rights Organizations Request Records Related to Oklahoma Biblical Schooling Mandate
OKLAHOMA CITY 鈥� Today, a coalition of civil rights organizations is making a related to the Oklahoma State Department of Education superintendent鈥檚 recent mandate that the Bible be incorporated into public school teaching.
The 桃子视频 of Oklahoma, 桃子视频, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice are requesting the Oklahoma State Department of Education to provide records related to three official mandates by the State Superintendent of Public Education Ryan Walters. On June 27, a directive to all school districts within the state was issued ordering the incorporation of the Bible 鈥渁s an instructional support into the curriculum鈥� for grades five through 12. Following this action, 鈥渁 complete overhaul鈥� to the state鈥檚 social studies standards and the creation of an Executive Review Committee to oversee those revisions with the purpose to 鈥渋ncorporate the introduction of the Bible as an instructional resource鈥� was announced in an official news release on July 9. Finally, on July 24, a to all school districts providing guidance on the implementation of the original directive to incorporate the Bible into classroom instruction.
Under the Oklahoma Open Records Act, the groups are requesting all records related to each event. This includes records created after January 8, 2023, sent or received by Walters or any other official or employee of the Oklahoma State Department of Education related to teaching or using the Bible in public schools, records related to the selection of the Executive Review Committee to oversee the revisions to Oklahoma鈥檚 social studies standards as well as all communications with members or prospective members,and records related to funding or paying for the Bible mandate.
The request is made in the public interest, so that the organizations and their Oklahoma members can determine whether those entrusted with the affairs of government are honestly, faithfully and competently performing their duties as public servants. The organizations ask that the requested records be provided by Aug. 10, 2024.
鈥淎ll families and students should feel welcome in our public schools,鈥� said Megan Lambert, 桃子视频of Oklahoma Legal Director. 鈥淐ourts have repeatedly ruled that it is unconstitutional for public schools to 鈥榗oerce anyone to support or participate in religion or its exercise.鈥� Oklahoma children have the right to attend public school and to access the full range of school services without having government-sponsored religion imposed on them. Freedom of religion means that parents and faith communities鈥攏ot politicians鈥攈ave the right to direct their children鈥檚 religious education and development.鈥�
鈥淩yan Walters lacks the legal authority to order schools to do this,鈥� notes FFRF Legal Director Patrick Elliott. 鈥淲alters is attempting to compromise students鈥� education in order to score political points with a narrow set of his Christian Nationalist supporters.鈥�
鈥淪tate Superintendent Ryan Walters has made his agenda in Oklahoma clear: partisan rhetoric, Christian Nationalism, and a national platform to further his political ambitions. S.S. Walters鈥� track record in actually addressing the real concerns of students and parents is abysmal,鈥� said Colleen McCarty, Executive Director of Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. 鈥淥klahomans deserve a State Superintendent who is devoted to providing a quality, accessible, and unbiased education to Oklahoma鈥檚 kids rather than unconstitutionally tearing down the wall between church and state.鈥�
鈥淧ublic schools are not Sunday schools. Superintendent Walters has repeatedly made clear that he is incapable of distinguishing the difference,鈥� said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. 鈥淗is latest scheme 鈥� to mandate use of the Bible in Oklahoma public school curriculum 鈥� is a transparent, unlawful effort to advance Christian Nationalism and indoctrinate and religiously coerce public school students. Not on our watch.鈥�
鈥淥nce again, Ryan Walters is pushing religiously divisive policies to score cheap political points in Oklahoma,鈥� said Daniel Mach, director of the 桃子视频Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. 鈥淏ut decisions about kids鈥� religious education are best left to families and faith communities, not government bureaucrats.鈥�
The Open Records Act request can be found here:
