Thought this was a pretty interesting story. Ryan Walters, the Superintendent of Oklahoma's public education is back in the news. He's requiring all public schools to have Bibles in their classrooms and teach its influence on the founding of the USA. Sounds pretty good, right? However, here's where it gets interesting.
Walters is taking bids right now from suppliers to supply Bibles for this. He has created a list of criteria which he wants for the Bibles:
Guess what, there's only one Bible currently on the market that meets these criteria: you guessed it, the Donald Trump God Bless the USA Bible! LOL
But there's a more serious problem I have with all of this, and that is Walters' insistence that it's all purely historical. It's prohibited by Oklahoma's State Constitution to use public funds to support any system of religion. The Bibles will, after all, be purchased with tax dollars.
In order for Walters to skirt this, he has to basically declare that the Bible is a purely historical document. This is clearly not the case; and it's pretty hypocritical of him, since he is declaring his own faith is based on a history book.
Several school districts in Oklahoma have already said they won't comply with his edict. Actually, he doesn't have the authority to do this. Under Oklahoma state law, school districts have sole authority to set their own curriculum.
Walters is already in hot water and is the subject of a State investigation for the way he has handled funds and his lack of transparency. Some have commented that he seems to have political ambitions and wants to get his face out there on FOX News. Hard to disagree. I would add that it seems to me like an obvious Christian nationalist move on his part.
Walters is taking bids right now from suppliers to supply Bibles for this. He has created a list of criteria which he wants for the Bibles:
1. They must be the King James Version with Old and New Testaments.
2. They must not have commentary of any kind.
2. They must have attached to them the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and must be leather-bound.
Guess what, there's only one Bible currently on the market that meets these criteria: you guessed it, the Donald Trump God Bless the USA Bible! LOL
But there's a more serious problem I have with all of this, and that is Walters' insistence that it's all purely historical. It's prohibited by Oklahoma's State Constitution to use public funds to support any system of religion. The Bibles will, after all, be purchased with tax dollars.
Section II-5: Public money or property - Use for sectarian purposes.
No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.—Oklahoma Constitution, Section II-5
In order for Walters to skirt this, he has to basically declare that the Bible is a purely historical document. This is clearly not the case; and it's pretty hypocritical of him, since he is declaring his own faith is based on a history book.
Several school districts in Oklahoma have already said they won't comply with his edict. Actually, he doesn't have the authority to do this. Under Oklahoma state law, school districts have sole authority to set their own curriculum.
Walters is already in hot water and is the subject of a State investigation for the way he has handled funds and his lack of transparency. Some have commented that he seems to have political ambitions and wants to get his face out there on FOX News. Hard to disagree. I would add that it seems to me like an obvious Christian nationalist move on his part.
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