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Oklahoma Drops Controversial Plan to Distribute Bibles in Public Classrooms
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – Oklahoma’s new State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Lindel Fields, announced this week that his administration will not move forward with a mandate to place Bibles in public school classrooms — a policy championed by his predecessor, Ryan Walters.
Fields’ decision comes after the Oklahoma Supreme Court gave him until October 28 to determine whether the state would continue defending the policy in court. “We plan to file a motion to dismiss, and have no plans to distribute Bibles or a Biblical character education curriculum in classrooms,” Fields said in a statement reported by KOKH News. “If resources are left to be allocated, the timing is fortunate since the team and I are currently reviewing the budget.”
The Bible mandate, originally introduced by Walters, sparked a lawsuit from Oklahoma parents, teachers, and clergy who argued it violated religious liberty and state administrative procedures. The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s directive required Fields to clarify whether he intended to pursue the mandate or drop the case. Tara Thompson, interim communications director for the state education department, said the agency would end the mandate, dismiss the lawsuit, and issue new guidance to schools.
The plan, estimated to cost about $3 million, had faced strong opposition and legal hurdles. Earlier this year, the Oklahoma Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee rejected Walters’ funding request for the Bibles. Despite the setback, Walters had pledged to raise private donations, including through a partnership with “God Bless the USA” singer Lee Greenwood.
Walters, who resigned as superintendent last month and now leads the conservative Teacher Freedom Alliance, condemned the reversal in a post on X, writing, “I could not be more disappointed in the decision to move away from empowering our teachers in Oklahoma to use a foundational document like the Bible in the classroom. The war on Christianity is real.”
During his tenure, Walters had argued that including the Bible in classrooms was vital to understanding American history and culture, calling it “the most read and most cited book in early American history.” His directive, however, was challenged in court for bypassing required state procedures and infringing on local school districts’ authority to choose instructional materials.
The Oklahoma decision contrasts sharply with developments in Texas, where the state’s Board of Education has approved optional Bible-based lessons. Texas schools are permitted, though not required, to teach courses referencing the Bible’s historical and cultural influence. Supporters argue the approach enriches understanding of Western civilization, while opponents warn it risks blurring the line between church and state.
Oklahoma’s reversal may mark the end of one of the nation’s most high-profile efforts to reintroduce the Bible into public classrooms — for now.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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