Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters is being sued by dozens of Oklahomans for his classroom Bible mandate, which some critics say is a backdoor attempt to enrich former President Donald Trump.
According to local news station KOCO, 32 state residents, including teachers, parents, and even faith leaders, have petitioned the Oklahoma State Supreme Court to halt Walters’ plan, which they describe as an “extremist agenda that imposes his personal religious beliefs on other people’s children.”
The Rev. Lori Walke, a church leader, stated that she supported the lawsuit because she thinks the state cannot impose spirituality.
“I am a faith leader who cares deeply about our country’s promise of religious freedom and ensuring that everyone is able to choose their own spiritual path,” she said.
“The state mandating that one particular religious text be taught in our schools violates the religious freedom of parents and children, teachers, and taxpayers. The government has no business weighing in on such theological decisions. I’m proud to join this lawsuit because I believe Superintendent Walters’ plan to use taxpayer money to buy Bibles and force public schools to teach from them is illegal and unconstitutional.”
Walters’ plan to require that all classrooms in the state have a copy of the Bible has become especially contentious after an analysis of the requirements laid out by Walters’ office revealed that very few Bibles meet all of the criteria—wwith the exception of the Bibles that Trump has been selling to supporters for $60 each.
