As soon as the announcement hit the media, opposing voices spoke loudly, accusing Walters of numerous offenses, from violating the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause to promoting “Christian Nationalism” in public schools. The readers’ comments made clear that they had not read Walters’ announcement, nor did they read the Oklahoma State Department of Education Instructional Support Guidelines for Teachers.

With no knowledge of the documents, the objections revealed lies that many people may believe about Oklahoma’s schools teaching a curriculum to emphasize the historical influence of the Bible. To help clarify the project and help the public understand, I divided the verbal objections into five categories of untruths.

As per the OSDE Teacher Guidelines, teachers are to approach incorporating the Bible in a manner that emphasizes only the historical, literary, and secular benefits ensuring compliance with legal standards and precedents.

Lie #2: Teaching from the Bible will enable teachers to use the Bible to evangelize students. Nowhere in the description of the project do the guidelines endorse or suggest using the Bible for proselytizing, conducting discussions on Biblical doctrine, or engaging students in devotional encounters. Walters specifically states the desired academic outcomes. “The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone. Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to contextualize the foundation of our nation properly, which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction. This is not merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country.”

Lie #4: The Bible in the classroom goes against the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and teaches a particular interpretation of the Bible as truth. The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” In the 1930s, America’s educational elites violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by instating secular humanism as the primary religion to be taught in our public schools. Over time, our students plunged into ignorance of the many contributions Christianity made to Western civilization. Bringing into our classrooms knowledge and appreciation of the numerous contributions made by Christians in art, music, literature, speeches, and critical thinking would significantly enhance the lives of our students without diminishing contributions made by other cultures.

Anyone interested in critiquing the project should take a few minutes to read Superintendent Walter’s stated goals. The Bible’s prolific influence throughout history is profound, but it is fast slipping out of our culture because we have not instilled its value in the minds of our youth. Who knows, discovering the Bible could give our nation a fresh look at how to produce great works of art, literature, and scientific discovery in the next generation.

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