Oklahoma's public school teachers have been ordered to use the Bible in lessons on "history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like" -- and to keep a copy on hand in the classroom, reports Nuria Martinez-Keel in the Oklahoma Voice.
The Bible is "a cornerstone of Western civilization, along with the Ten Commandments," wrote Superintendent Ryan Walters in a letter to school districts.
In addition, “we’re going to be looking at the Mayflower Compact (and) other of those foundational documents to point to and say, listen, here’s conceptually what the founders believed,” Walters told reporters Thursday.
State social studies standards "already require schools to teach students about the impact of religion on U.S. society and government," writes Martinez-Keel.
Furthermore, the state attorney general's office noted, “Oklahoma law already explicitly allows Bibles in the classroom and enables teachers to use them in instruction.”
"Public schools are not Sunday Schools," said Rachel Laster, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Mandating "use of the Bible in Oklahoma public schools’ curriculum — is a transparent, unconstitutional effort to indoctrinate and religiously coerce public school students."
I'm all for teaching students about Western civilization, but this seems to be grandstanding for the church vote.