By Constitution Staff

For the past few months, Oklahoma media have supported the narrative pushed by most of the state’s Democratic Party, and even many like-minded Republicans, that Ryan Walters, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, has mandated the use of the Bible in Oklahoma’s public-school classrooms to instruct students on biblical interpretation.

It is just one of the many controversies that have dogged Walters since his selection by Gov. Kevin Stitt as the Secretary of Education in 2020, but especially since his election as the state school superintendent in 2022. Several “investigations” have been initiated against Walters, including from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and State Auditor Cindy Byrd.

Walters’ efforts to remove pornography from public school libraries has been dubbed as “unenforceable” by Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Long-time leader of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Oklahoma, Ryan Kiesel, demanded that Walters send him examples of such porn materials. Walters responded by having examples hand-delivered.

Walters also made the news when he publicly criticized the Western Heights school district for employing a principal who performed as a “drag queen” in his off hours.

Democrats in the Oklahoma Legislature (a small number, but cited often by the Oklahoman newspaper and other media) have even demanded Walters be impeached. Walters responded, using rhetoric often used by Democrats, saying the demand was “seeking to remove a popularly elected constitutional officer” (represents) “a direct threat to our democracy.”

For these and other “controversies,” perhaps the best known is the charge that Walters is demanding that teachers in the public schools “teach the Bible,” with the implication that students will be receiving verse-by-verse doctrinal instruction. Not surprisingly, this has led to many school districts vowing to defy Walters, with many boasting, “We will not have Bibles in our classrooms.”

The reaction is interesting, since some of the same school districts have also resisted removing pornography-laced books found on the shelves of school libraries from elementary through high school.

On September 26, the state School Board approved a budget request to the Oklahoma Legislature for Fiscal Year 2026 of over $4.1 billion. The request represents a $102 million increase compared to the 2025 Fiscal Year appropriation. Superintendent Walters announced that the budget proposal includes $3 million to put Bibles in Oklahoma classrooms. House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson (D-Oklahoma City) released a statement following the board’s action. “The State Superintendent continues to ignore the Oklahoma Constitution,” Leader Munson said. "He wants to use millions in public taxpayer dollars to fund religion in public schools – something the majority of Oklahomans are adamantly against – while Oklahoma public schools remain some of the most underfunded public schools in the nation.”

But what is the truth? Is Walters really ordering that public schools be turned into tax-supported Sunday School classrooms? Even many devout Christians – both inside and outside the public schools – have balked at having teachers, many who are atheists, agnostics, and skeptics of various sorts teaching the Bible. After all, many Christian teachers and parents have expressed concern that a non-believing teacher might tell little school children the Bible is a book of fables and legends, not the Word of God. Others have wondered if a Presbyterian teacher might tell a Baptist child that believer’s baptism is a false doctrine.

Few have actually read the document produced by the OSDE, which is entitled OSDE Instructional Support Guidelines for Teachers. The guidelines provide that every teacher will be provided a physical copy, not only of the Bible, but also of the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments as “resources in every classroom in the school district.”

“The Bible has played a significant role in the development of Western civilization and American history,” the document reads, adding that its “incorporation” is to be in a manner that “emphasized only its historical, literary and secular benefits.”

Examples are given throughout the document as to how the Bible is to be incorporated, none of which direct any teacher to push a particular religious doctrine. In fact, the document explicitly states, “The Bible must be used in student instruction for its historical, literary and secular value and is not to be used for religious purposes such as preaching, proselytizing or indoctrination.” The document advises that parents should be informed that the Bible’s use “is not an endorsement of any religious belief.”

Furthermore, the guidelines state that teachers should “incorporate perspectives from other religious and secular traditions to provide a balanced view while remaining mindful of all rules for grade level and age level appropriate material.” Finally, the instruction is to be conducted in a “neutral and objective manner,” and “must not promote or favor any religious beliefs, focusing solely on the historical and literary aspects of the Bible.”

Examples are given throughout the document on how to use the Bible in implementing the state educational standards, including historical context, literary significance, artistic and musical influence, as well as implementation strategies.

The document argues, “The Bible has been a key cornerstone in the development of Western thought, influencing legal systems, ethical frameworks, and cultural norms. Teachers must 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,” and cites how this helps specifically implement Oklahoma Social Studies Standards.

“Teachers must highlight key historical moments where the Bible played a role, such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence,” and in the speeches of several famous leaders in U.S. history, the document adds.

One can certainly note such concepts as that all of our rights come from our Creator, and not from government, found in the Declaration of Independence, need to be taught to have an educated grasp of how the Founders thought.

While there may very well be differences of opinion on some aspects of these guidelines, it is quite clear that how they have been characterized in the media and by other actors is highly inaccurate.