Bibles in every fifth through 12th grade classroom?
State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters announced on national television that starting immediately, every public-school classroom in Oklahoma from 5th through 12th grade is to have a Bible in it, and teachers are to teach from it. He later published a statement that instruction will follow directing what is to be taught, “to insure uniformity.”
As a Bible believer (I have a theology degree from a Bible college), I love the Bible, but I’m absolutely appalled by this action by a school leader who has tried since his election to force his own agenda on schools.
Aside from whether or not Oklahomans might like the Bible in schools, as a practical matter, we can anticipate dozens, if not hundreds of lawsuits that our schools and government will have to defend, at a cost of millions of dollars that could have gone to improvements in schools as well as services to those in need or road and infrastructure upkeep.
But on another level, the United States is composed of not only Christians, but those of many other faiths, or no faiths. I would be ashamed to force those parents to stand helplessly by as their children are being taught---in public schools that they support through their taxes---a religion they don’t embrace, even as I wouldn’t want my children to be indoctrinated in Islam or any other religion in school. Religion should be the responsibility of parents, not schools!
The First Amendment to our Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
— Ed Koonce, Mustang