Oklahoma school district won't follow state's Bible instruction directive: superintendent
An Oklahoma school district will not follow a directive from the state's Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters requiring the Bible to be taught as part of public education.
Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino told local media last week that he doesn't plan to enforce Walters' directive for social studies classes to expand their inclusion of the Bible.
"I'm just going to cut to the chase on that. Norman Public Schools is not going to have Bibles in our classrooms, and we are not going to require our teachers to teach from the Bible," Migliorino told The Norman Transcript.
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"The standards are clear, and our curriculum is very clear. And we're not going to deviate from that. I don't know. I'm just going to be direct on that one."
Migliorino's stance has drawn the support of some families and Democratic elected officials, including Democratic Oklahoma House Rep. Annie Menz, who represents Norman.
"The State Superintendent and his out-of-state bosses want to put the Bible in schools but take free lunches out. We know that our kids can't learn when they're hungry, so we should be focusing more on expanding free lunch program in our schools instead of indoctrination," she stated, as quoted by the Oklahoma City-based KOKH Fox 25.
"NPS has consistently stepped up to feed students and now, once again, the district is putting kids first with this recent announcement. I am proud of the NPS team for taking this stand and making our priorities clear."
In response to the elected officials supporting the school district, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education told Fox 25 that this stance was "anti-knowledge."
"Oklahoma parents have demanded schools get back to basics, eliminate woke indoctrination, and focus on a solid background in history and civics. The Bible is foundational to American history and culture, and it is academic malpractice not to include it in instructional materials," stated the OSDE spokesperson.
"Democrats not only stand against America's Christian heritage, they are anti-knowledge. I'm not surprised the most inconsequential caucus doesn't want the Bible in the classrooms."
Walter's directive has gained national attention and comes not long after the state of Louisiana passed a law last month requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school classrooms, sparking a national conversation around the limits of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Walters told The Christian Post in an interview last week that the specifics of his directive would be released to schools within the next few weeks and that they were coming in response to concerns from families that the Bible was not being properly taught in public schools.
"The Bible was not being used prominently in its historical role in our schools. We heard that time and time again," Walters said. "We made clear with the directive; this is not an ask."
"They will teach from the Bible, they will reference the Bible, they will make sure that that historical context is included when it's appropriate."
Walters told CP that state officials are working to revise public school curriculum standards to "include more direct application of the Bible in our history classes."
David Barton of the conservative Christian group Wallbuilders sits on the committee overseeing the rewrites, according to Walters, which they hope to finalize in time for the next school year.
Barton has often been criticized by historians for his interpretation of American history. In 2012, his book about Thomas Jefferson was retracted by its publisher over concerns about its factual claims.
Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the progressive group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told CP in an earlier interview that her organization was "monitoring how Walters and schools attempt to implement this policy and are ready to respond as needed when school starts back up in the fall."
