Oklahoma’s Department of Education has issued a directive on Thursday, June 27, 2024 requiring all teachers in the state to teach the students in their classes from the Bible. This move challenges longstanding U.S. Supreme Court decisions that prohibit state promotion of religious doctrines.

The announcement, made by Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, emphasizes immediate compliance, with particular focus on imparting knowledge of the Ten Commandments. Walters defended the decision by highlighting the Bible’s significance as a foundational text in Western civilization and its influence on prominent figures like Martin Luther King, Jr.

However, the Oklahoma Education Association has strongly opposed the mandate, calling it unconstitutional. The union argues that state law grants school districts the right to decide which books is made available in their classrooms, including religious texts.

In a statement, the association clarified that while teaching about the historical context of religions, including the Bible, is permissible; endorsing religious doctrines crosses the line into unconstitutional territory. “Public schools cannot indoctrinate students with a particular religious belief or religious curriculum,” it reads.

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