Concern Over Religious Freedom
A coalition of parents, teachers, students, and faith leaders has filed a lawsuit against Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters. The lawsuit, submitted on Thursday, October 17, contests Walters’ recent Bible Education Mandate, claiming it infringes on the state constitution’s protections for religious freedom and other legal statutes.
This mandate, issued by Walters earlier this summer, requires all public schools in Oklahoma to include the Bible in their curriculum. The lawsuit highlights several concerns, including differing theological beliefs among denominations, the potential for bullying, and parallels to Oklahoma’s troubling history of forced religious indoctrination of Native Americans in boarding schools.
Parental Rights and Religious Diversity
One of the plaintiffs, Erika Wright, expressed her discontent in a news release on October 17. “As parents, my husband and I have the sole responsibility to decide how and when our children learn about the Bible and religious teachings,” Wright stated. She noted that while they are devout Christians, different denominations hold varying theological beliefs and practices.
Walters defended the mandate, asserting to McClatchy News that understanding American history and culture is incomplete without knowledge of the Bible. “Oklahomans will not be bullied by out-of-state, radical leftists who hate the principles our nation was founded upon,” he stated. Walters argued that the Bible’s historical and literary significance was a standard part of American education until the 1960s, coinciding with a decline in educational quality.
Personal Stories and Historical Context
Rev. Mitch Randall, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, shared his personal connection to the issue. Raised in Oklahoma, he identified as both a Southern Baptist and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Randall criticized the mandate for violating the principle of separation of church and state, which he believes is a fundamental tenet of Southern Baptist theology. He referred to Matthew 22, which he interprets as support for keeping church and state separate.
Randall also spoke about his family history, recounting how his great-grandmother and her sister were forcibly removed from their home in Broken Arrow and sent to a boarding school where they could not speak their native language and were compelled to attend church. “All of this was done at the funding of the government,” he said, labeling it a “haunting history” for Oklahoma concerning the imposition of religion in public education.
Concerns from Nonreligious Families
Another plaintiff, whose identity is being withheld to protect the child, stated that the Bible mandate infringes on her right to direct her children’s upbringing. According to court documents, her child encountered a quiz that assessed Bible translations, faith significance, and the nature of God. As a nonreligious individual, the student felt “marginalized and unwelcome” at school due to the quiz, according to the lawsuit.
The legal complaint further asserts that the mandate violates the Oklahoma Administrative Procedures Act and contends that using state funds to purchase Bibles breaches the Oklahoma Constitution. This act governs procedures for state agencies in proposing and issuing regulations and allows for judicial review of agency decisions.
Ongoing Legal Challenges
Oklahoma State Representative Mark McBride reported to KTUL that Walters is currently facing “12 or 14” lawsuits. He has reportedly incurred over $100,000 in attorney fees within a five-month period.
As the lawsuit unfolds, it highlights the ongoing debate over the intersection of education, religion, and constitutional rights in Oklahoma schools.
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