Oklahoma Schools Drop Bible Mandate After Leadership Change

Oklahoma's public schools have seen a shake-up in leadership and policies regarding religious materials in classrooms. Former superintendent Ryan Walters' directive to place Bibles in classrooms and incorporate them into lesson plans has been rescinded by his successor, Lindel Fields.

Walters, who resigned last month to take a job in the private sector, had planned to team up with country music singer Lee Greenwood to seek donations for this initiative. However, his directive drew immediate condemnation from civil rights groups and led to a lawsuit filed by a group of parents, teachers, and religious leaders. The lawsuit is still pending before the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Fields, who believes the decision on incorporating the Bible into classroom instruction should be left to individual districts, has no plans to distribute Bibles or a Biblical character education curriculum in classrooms. He considers spending money on Bibles not to be the best use of taxpayer resources. Fields' appointment follows Walters' resignation, during which Walters made fighting 'woke ideology', banning certain books from school libraries, and removing 'radical leftists' from classrooms a focal point of his administration. Many school districts across the state decided not to comply with the Bible mandate.

With the lawsuit still pending, the future of Walters' directive remains uncertain. However, Fields' decision to rescind the mandate and leave the decision to individual districts signals a shift in policy. As the situation develops, it is recommended to consult official sources from the Oklahoma Department of Education or relevant legal documents for the most accurate information.