by Logan Tantibanchachai • 4 minutes
All public schools in Oklahoma will be required to incorporate the Bible and Ten Commandments into their curriculum. This is good news. This is a really important step in teaching the next generation about the Bible from a historical context, especially regarding its influence on American history and our country’s Founders.
“The Bible is one of the most historically significant books and a cornerstone of Western civilization, along with the Ten Commandments,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters wrote in a memorandum. “They will be referenced as an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like, as well as for their substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution.”
“This is not merely an educational directive,” he added, “but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country.”
The goal of this directive is to make sure that students in America learn about the rich religious tradition in America. The Bible was influential in the founding of our country and our laws, and widely used in public education for centuries. It should be incorporated into the public schools—not kept in a corner.
“The Left can be offended, that’s fine,” Walters said in an interview with Fox News. “They can be offended all they want, but what they can’t do is rewrite history. That is our history. That is the history of this country.”
In more good news, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also signed a bill expanding religious freedom protections for parents and students in public schools.
HB 1425 states that each Oklahoma “school district board of education shall adopt a policy that excuses a student from school to attend a released time course.” Under the new law, a released-time course is defined as “a period of time during which a student is excused from school to attend a course in religious or moral instruction taught by an independent entity off school property.”
This law does not mandate that students attend off-campus religious classes. It does make sure that if parents want their children to participate in religious or moral instruction during released-time, they are free to go.
The momentum in Oklahoma is coming off the heels of another recent win for religious freedom. A few weeks ago, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed HB 71, which requires the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools and colleges. Similar to the Oklahoma directive, this law is designed to help helping students have a better understanding of the Founders of our nation and why we need civic morality for a functional self-government.
There’s been a lot of positive news recently for religious freedom, especially in education. But there is always room for improvement. First Liberty will continue to defend and fight for Americans so they can freely live out and express their faith. We need your continued support. The fight for religious freedom isn’t over, and there’s still plenty of work to do to make sure Americans can fully and freely live out their faith.
Read More:
The Hill: Oklahoma state superintendent directs schools to incorporate Bible, Ten Commandments in teaching
Fox News: Oklahoma schools now required to teach Bible, Ten Commandments: superintendent
Wall Street Journal: Oklahoma State Superintendent Orders Bible Be Taught in Schools
Washington Post: Oklahoma schools are required to teach the Bible, state superintendent says
Fox News: Oklahoma Supreme Court finds Catholic charter school funding unconstitutional
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