The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday acknowledged that newly-appointed state Superintendent Lindel Fields and six recently-confirmed members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education said they planned to nullify the 2024 mandate requiring that Bibles be present in classrooms.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit challenging a state policy requiring that public schools keep Bibles in classrooms, making them accessible for student use and, in some cases, teaching from them, too.
According to the Oklahoma Voice, the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Monday acknowledged that newly-appointed state Superintendent Lindel Fields and six recently-confirmed members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education said they planned to nullify the 2024 mandate requiring that Bibles be present in classrooms.
The new board also told the justices that they would not seek to implement, executive, or continue certain other policies issued by former state Superintendent Ryan Walters, some of which used taxpayer money to purchase classroom Bibles or “Biblically-based character education materials.”
The lawsuit, notes the Oklahoma Voice, was filed on behalf of over 30 residents of varied beliefs.
Together, the plaintiffs say that putting Bibles in the classroom is unlawful and violates provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution prohibiting the establishment of a state religion.
In September, the Oklahoma Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs, issuing a ruling against the state that prevented Walters’ plan from taking effect; it also prohibited the state from spending any money attempting to fulfill the proposed biblical standards.
“Today’s ruling will help ensure that Oklahoma families—not politicians—get to decide how and when their children engage with religion,” said Rachel Laser, the President and CEO of Americans United. “These new social studies standards would violate students’ and families’ religious freedom by promoting one version of Christianity and advancing Christian Nationalist disinformation. Not on our watch. Public schools are not Sunday schools.”
Walters’ office, in contrast, issued a politically-charged and buzzword-laden statement lambasting the state’s Supreme Court for opposing “conservative values.”
“The Oklahoma Supreme Court is embarrassing and clearly out of step with Oklahomans,” a then-Walters administration official said. “They’re ignoring the fact that in other states, the Bible is openly taught as the cornerstone of Western civilization. Christianity, American exceptionalism, and conservative values are under attack, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court is leading the assault.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling did not end the lawsuit, though. Last month, in October, the justices asked Fields to clarify the new department’s stance on putting Bibles into public schools.
“I can tell you that Superintendent Fields has no plans to distribute Bibles or a biblical charactered curriculum and we intend to file a motion to dismiss the proceedings,” said Tara Thompson, the Director of Communications for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
Earlier this week, in a 6-2 decision, the Oklahoma Supreme Court agreed to dismiss the lawsuit, citing the department’s policy reversal.
Sources
Oklahoma Supreme Court blocks State Superintendent Walters’ new social studies standards
Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed lawsuit challenging Walters’ Bible mandate
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State Superintendent Fields dismisses mandate to put Bibles in classrooms
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