Oklahoma’s top education official on Thursday ordered public schools in the southern U.S. state to teach the Bible, a controversial move that promises to fuel the culture wars fracturing America.
“Every teacher, every classroom in the state, will have to have a Bible in the classroom and teach from the Bible,” Walters said at a news conference, announcing a memo that all school districts will have to follow.
“The Bible is a historical document necessary to teach our children the history of this country, so that they have a complete understanding of Western civilization, so that they understand the foundations of our legal system,” said this elected official. republican.
His decision comes just a week after the governor of Louisiana, also a Republican, signed into law a law that plans to display the “Ten Commandments” in all classrooms.
This law was immediately challenged in court by an association believing that it is unconstitutional and violates the separation of Church and State. The measure announced in Oklahoma also has every chance of ending up in court.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the establishment of a national religion or the preference of one religion over another.
But in recent years, the Trumpist right has increased its identity-based discourse aimed at bringing Christian values back to the center of public debate.
Last week, Mr. Walters had welcomed the Louisiana law, explaining that he wanted to imitate it.
“We must bring God back to school and not allow the radical left to transform our schools into atheist centers that talk about our country without taking into account the influence of faith,” he insisted on FoxNews.
A speech immediately welcomed by Donald Trump himself, who is counting on the support of evangelical Christians to try to win back the White House against Joe Biden in November.
“Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters did a great job on FoxNews last night. He is strong, decisive and knows his subject. I LOVE OKLAHOMA! » applauded the former Republican president on his Truth Social network.
A member of the southern United States’ “Bible Belt,” Oklahoma recently attempted to fund a private religious school with public funds, which would have been a first in the United States.
The project was rejected this week by the local courts, but the case could go all the way to the Supreme Court.