The Christian Nationalist released guidance on how to inject the Bible in classrooms. Many superintendents are ignoring it.

Jul 27, 2024

If you’re looking for a reason to be optimistic about education in a deeply red state, look no further than Oklahoma, where several school districts have now rejected the call to inject the Bible in their classrooms.

You may recall that the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, a proud Christian Nationalist, announced last month that he would force teachers across the state to make the Bible part of their curriculum.

“The Bible is a necessary, historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country,” Walters told the State Board of Education. Therefore, he explained, “every teacher, every classroom in the state, will have a Bible in the classroom, and will be teaching from the Bible in the classroom.”

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That left a number of questions unanswered. Did every teacher have to participate? Which version of the Bible? If lesson plans had to be rewritten, would teachers be compensated for their time? Was there a penalty for disobedience? And wasn’t all of this blatantly illegal?

Walters didn’t answer anything. Instead, his office released a memo saying the Bible would be cited for, among other things, its “substantial influence on our nation's founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution.” He added: “Adherence to this mandate is compulsory.” And then: “Immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

Despite his tough talk, no one seemed to be taking it very seriously.

Church/state separation groups couldn’t file a lawsuit because this wasn’t an official policy and no one had been forced to comply yet. Even the office of the state’s attorney general said that Bibles were already permitted in schools and allowed in instruction, suggesting (very mildly) that Walters’ memo was pointless.

That’s why Walters began resorting to threats. In an interview with the New York Times, Walters said if teachers don’t comply with his demands, “the state could revoke their accreditations or certifications.” But he doesn’t have that power. In fact, The Frontier, a non-profit journalism outlet, noted that Walters has no authority here. The state’s Board of Education can revoke teaching certifications if teachers don’t follow the law, but his memo isn’t a law. Furthermore, state law says instructional materials and curriculum decisions are determined by the school districts themselves.

A couple of weeks ago, Nick Migliorino, superintendent of the Norman Public Schools, which serves over 15,000 students, told a local journalist that his district wouldn’t be participating in the charade when the new school year began. He said teachers could use the Bible in a lesson if they felt it was appropriate (like in a literature class), but that was already legal, so there was no need to change course. They wouldn’t comply with Walters’ demands.

Walters’ spokesperson responded to that statement with a childish, “Oh yes they will.”

Now it appears the floodgates have opened.

According to The Oklahoman, at least eight large school districts have now publicly told Walters to shove it.

“Studies include discussions on the impact of religion in shaping societies, traditions, and historical events,” the [Piedmont Public Schools] letter read. “However, it is important to clarify that while students learn about religion's role in historical and cultural contexts, teaching any specific religious doctrine or practice is not a part of the current standards.

Jenks Public Schools in suburban Tulsa also said in a letter to parents it “has no plans to change course from our current materials.”

“Jenks Public Schools will continue to use our current curriculum and approved resources aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards approved by the Oklahoma State Legislature,” the letter said.

Other large districts that have indicated they won’t follow the directive, but stick with their locally approved curriculum, are Norman Public Schools, Moore Public Schools, Stillwater Public Schools, Bixby Public Schools, Yukon Public Schools and the Deer Creek School District.

The president of the Tulsa school board has also denounced the directive and said her district will be sticking to their already determined curriculum.

Oklahoma House Democrats, a rare breed to say the least, have encouraged other school districts to follow a similar path. House minority leader Rep. Cyndi Munson said the rejection of Walters’ demands was bipartisan: “We know from actively engaging with our constituents that this Bible mandate in public schools is something both Democrats and Republicans are adamantly against. This is nothing more than an attempt to strip Oklahomans of their religious freedom.”

While all this is happening, though, Walters is moving forward as if he has complete authority here. He recently sent out a memo detailing how his plan should be implemented to superintendents across the state; the memo was also shared with the right-wing Washington Examiner.

The advice is as thoughtless and immature as you’d expect from a Republican:

"We are ending the era of woke indoctrination, a hatred for our country, and a deliberate attempt to warp kids' minds," the guidance states. "We are ending the days where there is bigger concern to keep Gender Queer and Flamer in schools rather than understand the US Constitution, the Bible, and the Ten Commandments."

The guidance emphasizes the Bible's impact on how Western civilization was built, including philosophy, legal frameworks, ethics, and cultural norms: "Teachers should focus on how biblical principles have shaped the foundational aspects of Western societies, such as the concepts of justice, human rights, and the rule of law."

…

Aside from Western civilization and American political history, the guidance highlights the Bible's influence on literature, including its heavy reference in some of the most prominent literary works through allusions, archetypes, and themes. Teachers will also be required to highlight the Bible's own use of literary techniques, such as allegory, metaphor, and parable, "allowing students to appreciate the Bible’s literary craftsmanship without delving into religious doctrine," the guidance states.

Teachers will also be expected to explore the Bible's influence on art and music and its interpretation through famous works and the historical context that surrounds them.

The irony here is that teachers can already do all this when it’s appropriate. What Walters wants is to micromanage every classroom in the state. English teachers already discuss allegory, metaphor, and parable using all kinds of texts; Walters wants to force them to use the Bible. Art teachers already discuss historical periods and painters and their works; Walters wants to force them to zero in on Bible-themed art. And history teachers already discuss the impact of religion as a motivating factor for world events; Walters wants them to inject false David Barton-esque revisionism in their classrooms.

Here’s a more specific example: The guidance letter says “upper elementary” students need to learn about the elements of a narrative story, including plot, characters, and setting. That’s fine! Teachers do that already using a variety of texts. Walters, however, says they must use “biblical stories as examples.” Why?! There’s no reason to shove the Bible in that lesson. He also demands that teachers use the Bible when discussing similes and metaphors, as if no other piece of writing could help them accomplish the same goal.

He also calls for high school teachers to use the Bible when discussing themes, motifs, and literary techniques. Again, there are other ways to teach those topics without using the Bible. Then he tells teachers to “assign essays that require critical thinking and analysis of the Bible’s role in literature, history, and culture.” Why? There are more interesting ways to connect the dots between modern culture and ancient beliefs that injecting the Bible into that when it’s not needed.

The entire memo is like this. It’s all about shoving the Bible into the curriculum in places where it’s absolutely not needed. In some cases, like with history classes, doing that can be wildly misleading and educational malpractice.

Walters insists all of this is neutral, but it’s not. The Bible just isn’t as important or relevant in the grand scheme of history as he wants it to be, yet he’s demanding Oklahoma teachers pretend otherwise.

I will say there’s one part of the five-page guidance letter that I fully support. Walters says teachers should examine “parallels between biblical stories and Greek mythology.” Yes! Let’s do it! Compare different brands of religious bullshit and let students realize that the Bible stories are no different from other sets of ancient myths.

The Oklahoman adds that the biggest questions remain unanswered:

Neither the original directive, nor the guidance provided Wednesday, indicated who would pay for the Bibles necessary to include one in every classroom, as Walters wants. There also hasn't been any indication from Walters which version, or versions, of the Bible would be acceptable to teach from.

There’s also no punishment listed for teachers who don’t comply. Or for teachers who go the malicious compliance route, citing the Bible but trashing it along the way.

The bottom line is that someone who hates public education is doing everything he can to turn it into Sunday School, and professional educators are pushing back because they actually care about the students.

It’s no wonder so many school districts are rejecting his demands. State law already says instructional materials and curriculum decisions are determined by the school districts themselves, not a wannabe theocrat that Republicans foist upon everyone. The Center for Education Law said in a letter sent to all school districts in Oklahoma earlier this month that Walters’ initial memo was “without legal authority.”

With many public schools set to open back up in a few weeks, you’re bound to see even more districts announce they’re not changing anything about their curriculums, at least not due to Walters’ petty demands. I can’t wait. The best way to respond to a bully is by letting the world know he has no power over you.

By the way, yesterday, a slew of church/state separation groups filed an open records request for all information in connection with this mandate. What that reveals about who Walters may be working with could be very illuminating.

Under the Oklahoma Open Records Act, the groups are requesting all records related to each event. This includes records created after Jan. 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’s social studies standards as well as all communications with members or prospective members, and records related to funding or paying for the Bible mandate.

(Portions of this article were published earlier)