In a bold move to reintroduce faith into the education system, Louisiana and Oklahoma have passed laws mandating the inclusion of religious and historical texts in public school classrooms.
This significant development comes as a response to what many see as the systematic removal of religious references from the education system, which has had a profound impact on students’ understanding of the country’s history.
Louisiana has recently passed a law requiring all state schools to display the Ten Commandments, along with other historical documents, in every classroom. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry emphasized the importance of this step, stating, “If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses” who received the commandments from God.
In a similar vein, Oklahoma is also making notable changes. The state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, announced that Oklahoma schools must now incorporate the Bible and Ten Commandments into their curricula for grades 5-12.
This inclusion is intended to provide historical context and ensure that students understand the foundational principles that contributed to the nation’s greatness. Walters strongly stated, “Not teaching our kids about the faith of our founders and the influence that the Bible had in our history is just academic malpractice.” In a memorandum issued by Walters, he declared, “Effective immediately, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support. Immediate and strict compliance is expected.”
However, this move has not been without opposition. Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, voiced her concerns to PBS, stating, “It’s not about teaching religion as an inspiration for literature at times or art, which is — and that’s all permissible — or teaching comparative religion.
This is about claiming the Christian nationalist myth that America is a Christian country. And this is also about preaching, and not teaching, because when Ryan Walters announced the policy, he made clear that he was requiring teachers to have the Bible in every classroom and — quote — ‘to teach from it.’ That’s not education. That’s indoctrination. And it’s unconstitutional.
