On October 17, 2024, 32 Oklahomans sued to halt the state’s incorporation of the Bible into public school lesson plans. 

When the Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters issued a memorandum to all public school superintendents entitled Immediate Implementation of Foundational Texts in Curriculum, concerns about public education were raised statewide.

Issued in June of 2024, this document ordered all Oklahoma public schools to incorporate the Bible into their curriculum across grade levels 5-12. 

Concerns were further amplified when Walters released the supplement to his first document, OSDE Instructional Support Guidelines for Teachers, an additional memorandum that outlined specific expectations for integrating biblical texts into classroom instruction. The requirements mandated the provision of physical copies of the Bible and the Ten Commandments to every teacher.

Additionally, they called for the integration of significant biblical historical moments, the Bible’s influence on both classic and contemporary literature, and its representation in various artworks into the state curriculum.  According to Walters during the Oklahoma State Board of Education’s September meeting, three million dollars used to purchase 55,000 Bibles would be allocated to achieve this plan.

If these demands were not met, teachers and administrators faced the potential loss of their jobs. In fact, at a press conference in a July 1, 2024 interview with PBS NewsHour, Walters stated, “If teachers don’t want to teach it, they are compelled to teach it, or they can find another job,” as noted by the plaintiffs in their complaint.

In the days that followed, Walters escalated his threats even further, making hostile statements on three more separate occasions.

Seeing this was from the end of his ongoing advocacy for religious integration in school the 32 plaintiffs, who encompass public school parents, students, teachers, and clergy, united to take legal action against Walter. 

In their complaint, the plaintiffs highlight the unconstitutionality of the Bible Education Mandate. Of the most pressing violations is the memorandum's noncompliance with the Oklahoma Administrative Procedures Act (OAPA), which establishes the legal framework for creating a rule.

Specifically, the plaintiffs maintain that Walters failed to follow these procedures, which included giving no notice through the Oklahoma Register, allowing for a comment period, taking into account certain considerations, and forwarding copies of the rule to the governor and legislative leaders. 

Furthermore, they contend that his plan infringes on the authority granted to individual school districts by the OAPA to choose their instructional materials.

Adding to the laundry list of infringements is the planned three million dollar budget, with plaintiffs highlighting the apparent lack of legislation allowing state funds to be used for financing curricular materials.

Rather, this money is allocated to individual school districts, which are free to spend it on texts of their choosing. Concluding their argument is the freedom provisions of Oklahoma’s Constitution, which “prohibit spending state funds on the Bibles because they are religious items and the spending would support one particular religious tradition.” 

With this mandate affecting every state school district, public school, student, their parents, and taxpayers, the court's pending decision has the potential to transform the political and social landscape of Oklahoma.