Bibles in classrooms: A look at the Oklahoma mandate

There’s been a lot of media coverage about a new education mandate in Oklahoma requiring every public school classroom to have a Bible. Some have taken to media platforms to denounce the new guidance while others have praised it as long overdue in educating a generation that knows less and less about religion.

But what’s it all about and is it constitutional?

Ryan Walters, superintendent of Oklahoma state schools prescribed the mandate in a letter sent to all public school superintendents across Oklahoma. He argued he has authority to mandate instruction on the Bible based on Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

The law states, in part:

School districts shall exclusively determine the instruction, curriculum, reading lists and instructional materials and textbooks, subject to any applicable provisions or requirements as set forth in law, to be used in meeting the subject matter standards. School districts may, at their discretion, adopt supplementary student assessments which are in addition to the statewide student assessments.

“Adherence to this mandate is compulsory,” Walters said. “Further instructions for monitoring and reporting on this implementation for the 2024025 school year will be forthcoming. Immediate and strict compliance is expected.”

During a news conference, Walters described the Bible as a “necessary historical document to teach our kids about the history of this country, to have a complete understanding of Western civilization and to have an understanding of the basis of our legal system. It is one of the most foundational documents used for the Constitution and the birth of our country.”

The decision was met with skepticism by some. Interfaith Alliance, an organization working in the realm of religious freedoms, told CNN in a statement: “This is blatant religious coercion that should have absolutely no place in public schools – in Oklahoma or any other state.”

The group called the mandate dangerous and claimed, without proof, that it was part of a so-called “Christian nationalist” agenda.

Is it constitutional?

The US Constitution says Americans are guaranteed the right to freely worship and practice their faith. When it comes to the intersection of government and faith, there is some ambiguity resulting from the phrase, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” as it pertains to public education. Most conservative scholars believe the separation is a warning against forming a state religion similar to the Church of England at the time of the Revolutionary War, not a ban of faith in the public square or even in state institutions.

The nation’s high court has ruled that the study of religion in a public school is not in violation with that principle, but a teacher officially leading a classroom in prayer is. Even the National Education Association has outlined that the study of faith is permissible. The nation’s largest teacher’s union noted in a 1995 statement of principles that “Schools demonstrate fairness when they ensure that the curriculum includes study about religion, where appropriate, as an important part of a complete education.”

Teaching about religion is as old as the Republic and was also central to classroom education when public schools replaced parochial education in the 19th century.

Religion has played a key role in the history of the world and the arts. Any high school survey of the Renaissance will quickly realize the role of faith in the arts of the time. Similarly, a study of the founding documents of the United States and statements from the Founders about faith cannot be fully understood without an understanding of the religious context of the time and and understanding of the Bible from which the Founders believed humans receive their ultimate rights.

READ: The Bible and Schools

An education void of a basic understanding of religion hamstrings a student’s ability to fully understand the progress of humanity through the ages. The Supreme Court agreed. Justice William Brennan, in a concurring opinion in Abington v. Schempp, stated that “it would be impossible to teach meaningfully many subjects in the social sciences or the humanities without some mention of religion.”

The NEA Resolution E-7 says, “The National Education Association believes that educational materials should accurately portray the influence of religion in our nation and throughout the world.” The National Council for the Social Studies Curriculum Standards declares: “Knowledge about religions is not only a characteristic of an educated person but is absolutely necessary for understanding and living in a world of diversity. Knowledge of religious differences and the role of religion in the contemporary world can help promote understanding and alleviate prejudice.”

Many states have established standards recommending the teaching of religion in social studies, the arts, and literature, according to the Heritage Foundation which follows the issue closely. It reports that California “requires teaching about religions in its History-Social Science Framework. Additionally, the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association and the First Amendment Center sponsor a statewide program called the California 3Rs Project, which conducts seminars, forums, and workshops on teaching about religions and student religious liberties.”

This is California!

Court cases, both at the state level and national level, have concluded, according to Heritage that, permissible instruction includes such subjects as the history of religion, the role of religion in U.S. or world history, comparative religion, sacred texts, including the Bible as literature, and the study of sacred music.

The success of these programs has proved that Bibles in classrooms and instruction of the importance of religion in human development has not spelled the demise of “separation of church and state,” but, rather, empowered students to better understand the subjects they are studying.

In the meantime, the Oklahoma law will likely head to court where it is expected to pass judicial scrutiny. The Oklahoma Attorney General’s office has said that Walters has no authority to require certain content be taught by sending a memo to school districts.  

That may be the case. But the legality of Bible mandate seems clearly within the Supreme Court’s understanding of what is permissible.

–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice