{"id":2330620,"date":"2024-08-25T12:48:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-25T16:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-teachers-were-told-to-use-the-bible-theres-resistance-from-schools-as-students-return-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-25T12:51:22","modified_gmt":"2024-08-25T16:51:22","slug":"oklahoma-teachers-were-told-to-use-the-bible-theres-resistance-from-schools-as-students-return-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-teachers-were-told-to-use-the-bible-theres-resistance-from-schools-as-students-return-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma teachers were told to use the Bible. There\u2019s resistance from schools as students return &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Foklahoma-teachers-were-told-to-use-the-bible-theres-resistance-from-schools-as-students-return-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2330620&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article\u2064 discusses resistance from schools in Oklahoma&#8217;s Bixby School District against a new mandate from the state\u2019s education\u2062 chief, Ryan Walters, which requires the incorporation of Bible lessons into public school \u2063classrooms. Despite the initiative intended to promote \u200creligious education, many schools are reluctant to comply, citing \u2064concerns over the relevance of the Bible in subjects where it\u2062 does not\u200b provide educational value, such as mathematics and \u2062science. Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller expressed that using the Bible as\u2064 a classroom\u200d prop diminishes its significance and noted that current practices already allow students \u2063to access the Bible \u200bin\u200d the library and engage in prayer. \u2062The state&#8217;s directive has ignited \u200ba broader debate on the role of religion in public education, especially as similar efforts gain momentum in other conservative states. \u2063Many educators and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/resident-torches-nut-job-dem-mayor-to-his-face-over-laken-riley-murder-i-was-ready-to-be-dragged-away\/\" title=\"Resident confronts &#039;Nut Job&#039; Dem Mayor over Laken Riley murder\">community members question<\/a> the appropriateness \u200bof the mandate, \u200cemphasizing\u200b that religious \u200dteachings belong more appropriately within the\u2063 home and church settings rather \u200bthan in public school classrooms.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Oklahoma teachers were told to use the Bible. There&rsquo;s resistance from schools as students return<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1411414\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>BIXBY, Oklahoma (AP) &mdash;<\/strong> Oklahoma&rsquo;s Bixby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Schools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>school<\/a> district has lots to show off for a fast-growing Tulsa suburb: a state-of-the-art new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/if-your-kids-are-secretly-watching-hbos-euphoria-you-should-be-worried\/\" title=\"If Your Kids Are Secretly Watching HBO\u2019s \u2018Euphoria,\u2019 You Should Be Worried\">high school set<\/a> to open by 2025, a new ninth-grade gymnasium and plans for a $12 million upgrade to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/football\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>football<\/a> complex that already rivals that of many small colleges.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>But, what the district does not have as students returned this week is a Bible in every classroom &mdash; despite a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/oklahoma-bible-schools-religion-ryan-walters-d15be2f74df2ffbbdfdc549569d06c4e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>statewide mandate from Oklahoma&rsquo;s education chief<\/a>&nbsp;to incorporate Bible lessons and promises of repercussions for those that don&rsquo;t comply. Other large school districts have also publicly indicated they aren&rsquo;t making changes either.<\/p>\n<p>The resistance follows a summer order that propelled Oklahoma to the center of a growing push by conservatives to give religion a bigger role in public schools across the U.S. Still, the fight may be far from over while other states, including neighboring Texas, are seeing Republicans advance&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2024\/05\/30\/texas-public-schools-religion-curriculum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">similar efforts to incorporate the Bible<\/a>&nbsp;into classrooms.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If there is no curricular standard that ties with that particular classroom, what would be the purpose of a Bible if not for pure indoctrination?&rdquo; said Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller, a former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Marines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Marine Corps<\/a> artilleryman whose office walls are adorned with medals from some of the 18 marathons he&rsquo;s run and a sign that reads: &ldquo;Positive Vibes Only.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Miller said it&rsquo;s not uncommon to see students carrying a Bible or praying during a moment of silence at the start of each school day. Two copies of the Bible are available for checkout in the high school library&rsquo;s reference section, along with a book titled <em>The History of the Bible<\/em> that includes maps and other historical details about the holy lands featured in scripture.<\/p>\n<p>But he said a Bible simply doesn&rsquo;t make sense for a seventh grade math classroom or a high school chemistry class.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As a Christian myself, I am a little offended by diminishing the word of God to a mere classroom prop,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>It is unclear how many, if any, Oklahoma school districts are resuming schools this month with a Bible in every classroom. A spokesperson for the state <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>education<\/a> department, Dan Isett, said the mandate is not optional and that the superintendent has &ldquo;a wide range of tools to deal with rogue districts&rdquo; that do not comply.<\/p>\n<p>Under the mandate, Oklahoma schools must incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for all public school students in grades five through 12 in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n<p>School districts also have been offered guidance from law firms that represent them and the state&rsquo;s largest teachers union, the Oklahoma Education Association, that the superintendent doesn&rsquo;t have the unilateral authority to issue such a requirement and that the edict is unenforceable.<\/p>\n<p>The decision by many Oklahoma school districts to disregard state Superintendent Ryan Walters&rsquo; directive didn&rsquo;t sit well with the first-term Republican, who chastised those districts at the start of a recent board meeting.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These are the districts that want pornography in front of kids under the name of inclusivity, but don&rsquo;t want the historical context of the Bible,&rdquo; Walters said, referring to a failed effort by his education department to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/oklahoma-school-library-book-ban-court-91ae7697c5a4501cde85a7ca00f24351\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>force a local district to remove the books<\/a>&nbsp;&ldquo;The Kite Runner&rdquo; and &ldquo;The Glass Castle&rdquo; from library shelves because of sexual content.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s outrageous. We will not allow it. Just because they don&rsquo;t like it, just because they&rsquo;re offended by it, just because they don&rsquo;t want to do it doesn&rsquo;t mean that they won&rsquo;t do it. They will be held accountable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The directive from Walters is the latest salvo in an effort by conservative-led states to target public schools: Louisiana has required them to post the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/louisiana-ten-commandments-displayed-classrooms-571a2447906f7bbd5a166d53db005a62\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Ten Commandments in classrooms<\/a>, while others are under pressure to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/indiana-lifewise-public-school-religion-d7cf2b67b2ae3b7919e0a21f89ce80c0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>teach the Bible<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>ban books<\/a>&nbsp;and lessons about race, sexual orientation and gender identity. Earlier this summer the Oklahoma Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/public-religious-catholic-charter-school-unconstitutional-oklahoma-e4ef414605094313331a39cc645ede8a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>blocked an attempt<\/a>&nbsp;by the state to have the first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-high-court-weighs-first-publicly-funded-religious-charter-school\/\" title=\"Oklahoma Supreme Court considers the legality of the state&#039;s first publicly funded religious charter school\">publicly funded religious charter school<\/a> in the country.<\/p>\n<p>Walters, himself a former public school teacher who was elected to his post in 2022, ran on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/oklahoma-education-teachers-superintendent-walters-c5c55e473eaeb0c94545c8ae5753149a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>a platform of fighting &ldquo;woke ideology,&rdquo;<\/a>&nbsp;banning books from school libraries and getting rid of &ldquo;radical leftists&rdquo; who he claims are indoctrinating children in classrooms.<\/p>\n<p>Among his Republican colleagues in the Legislature, patience with Walters appears to be wearing thin. State Rep. Mark McBride, a Republican from Moore who chairs the subcommittee that funds public schools, earlier this month sought an investigation into Walters over what McBride says are failures by the department to comply with legislative directives on funding and provide requested documents on expenditures. More than two dozen GOP House members signed on to McBride&rsquo;s request, prompting Speaker of the House Charles McCall to request an independent investigation of the education department.<\/p>\n<p>For his part, Walters dismissed the inquiry as a &ldquo;political attack&rdquo; from House leaders and hinted toward the 2026 governor&rsquo;s election, where both McCall and Walters have been mentioned as possible candidates for the seat being vacated by term-limited Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Grant Sullivan, who owns Scott&rsquo;s Hamburgers in downtown Bixby and delivers a sermon every Sunday at a small church in the nearby town of Morris, said he questions whether the Bible mandate is a good idea.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Have we thought this through?&rdquo; asked Sullivan, who has a master&rsquo;s degree in theology from Oklahoma Christian University and two children in Bixby schools. &ldquo;What if you happen to have an atheistic teacher? Are they going to teach it in a way that may be more problematic than helpful?<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It just feels like that&rsquo;s for the home and the church is how I feel about that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); clear: both; margin: 40px 0px; width: 720px; align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; font-family: AP, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space-collapse: collapse;\">\n<div class=\"Enhancement-item\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); width: 720px; display: flex; justify-content: center;\">\n<div class=\"ImageEnhancement\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); min-width: calc(100% + 80px);\">\n<figure class=\"Figure\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); margin-bottom: 0px;\"><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-210000\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; display: block; height: 0px; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; scroll-margin-top: calc(var(--headerHeight) + var(--hatHeight) + 20px); visibility: hidden;\"><\/a><picture data-crop=\"imgEn-medium-nocrop\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><\/source><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><\/source><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><\/source><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><\/source><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><\/source><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" style=\"background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);\"><\/source><\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/author\/sean-murphy\"><\/a><\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1411414\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1411414\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oklahoma teachers have been instructed to incorporate the Bible into their classrooms, but many schools are resisting this mandate as students return. In Bixby, Oklahoma\u2014a rapidly expanding suburb of Tulsa\u2014the school district boasts impressive facilities, including a new high school scheduled to open in 2025 and plans for significant upgrades to its football complex. However, despite a statewide directive from the state&#8217;s education chief requiring Bible lessons in classrooms, Bixby schools have not implemented this policy. Other large districts have also expressed their intention not to comply.<\/p>\n<p>This resistance comes after a summer order that has positioned Oklahoma at the forefront of a conservative movement aimed at increasing religious influence in public education across the U.S. The debate continues as other states like Texas pursue similar initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller questioned the purpose of having Bibles in classrooms without relevant curricular standards, suggesting it could lead to indoctrination rather than education. He noted that while students often bring Bibles or pray during moments of silence at school, placing one in every classroom seems unnecessary for subjects like math or chemistry.<\/p>\n<p>The state\u2019s education department insists that compliance with the mandate is mandatory and warns non-compliant districts may face consequences. However, legal guidance suggests that superintendents may lack the authority to enforce such requirements effectively.<\/p>\n<p>Superintendent Ryan Walters has criticized those who resist his directive and linked their actions to broader issues regarding educational content related to inclusivity and historical context. His push aligns with efforts by other conservative-led states aiming for increased religious presence in public schools while facing challenges such as recent court rulings against publicly funded religious charter schools.<\/p>\n<p>Walters&#8217; leadership is under scrutiny from some Republican lawmakers who are questioning his management of educational funding and directives amid growing political tensions within his party regarding future elections.<\/p>\n<p>Local community members like Grant Sullivan express concerns about whether mandating Bible use is appropriate given varying beliefs among teachers and suggest that discussions about faith should primarily occur within homes or churches rather than schools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2634,"featured_media":2330621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rob-miller-superintendent-scaled-1024x735.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[10402,5152,12474,15667,4605],"class_list":["post-2330620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-bible","tag-education","tag-oklahoma","tag-resistance","tag-teachers"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rob-miller-superintendent-scaled-1024x735.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330620","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2634"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2330620"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330620\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2330621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2330620"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2330620"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2330620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}