Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters released guidelines on the state’s controversial Bible mandate in public schools on Wednesday.
In June, Walters ordered educators for grades 5 through 12 to incorporate the Bible into their lessons, arguing that the Bible is necessary to ensure “students grasp the core values and historical context of our country,” he said in a statement at the time.
The order was followed by an intense backlash from civil liberties groups and the Oklahoma Education Association – a collective of educators, administrators and other school employees.
The new guidelines require educators to incorporate the Bible by looking at “only its historical, literary and secular benefits” by noting the Bible’s influence on Western civilization, American history, literature, art and music.
The new guidelines require educators to incorporate the Bible by looking at “only its historical, literary and secular benefits” by noting the Bible’s influence on Western civilization, American history, literature, art and music.
So, that means you can teach about:
• Thomas Jefferson putting together his own version of the New Testament that omits all of the supernatural parts.
• The “slave Bibles” that omitted any verses about freedom from bondage so slaves wouldn’t yearn for it but still be Christians.
• Bible verses that the slavers used to justify slavery.
• Forcibly converting indigenous Americans to Christianity by putting their children in special religious boarding schools.
• The complete failure of the religious-motivated alcohol prohibition movement.
• Catholic priest Father Coughlin going on the radio every week and talking about how Hitler was ordained by God.
I’m sure others of you can come up with examples.
He’s such a snowflake that all personal contact info has been removed from his website. Even his office has no contact info. Holy fuck they are such goddamn weenies. It’s despicable and absurdly hilarious all at the same time.
Found this!
Ryan Walters State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Chairperson of the Board Oliver Hodge Bldg, Room 121 2500 North Lincoln Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599 Ofc: (405) 521-3301 / Fax: (405) 521-6205 Email: ryan.walters@sde.ok.gov
Thank you we should all let him know how we feel about this. Also this needs to be overturned as unconstitutional. I will be addressing the school board in my district over this make goddamm sure they keep the bible out of my kids classroom.
controversial
Odd way to spell “unconstitutional.”
After all, most of the bible occurs in the US.
I thought that was the Book of Mormon…
It’s like Return of the Jedi in that respect.
To be honest, I always looked at The Book of Mormon as fan-fic more than an actual sequel…
Wait isn’t this the guy that sent porn to a bunch of law makers and cops last year?
That’s just their starting point. Foot in the door.
And then the guy goes - “This sex-crazed mob wants to fuck these dudes so bad they wouldn’t even rape our daughters instead!”
And that guy . . . was God’s emissary.
So. What can we conclude? Yes - Malcolm.
“Wait… You’re telling me it’s okay if, after my mom dies, I get my dad blackout drunk and fuck him to make sibling-children?”
“Well not really okay, just… God won’t have a problem with it. Also since your sister will be doing it too, your sister’s children will be your sibling-niblings. Isn’t that fun?”
“I’m still reeling from this god sending a fucking bear to just slaughter children for making fun of a bald guy.” - probably Malcolm
I’m down as long as it’s presented in a comparative religions kind of way. If the guidelines don’t specifically say not to talk about other religions and/or nonreligious ideologies, make sure to throw in some material on Islam, pagan religions like Wicca, indigenous American religions, Hoodoo, Buddhism, etc.
And, as others have said, don’t just teach what casts Christianity or the Bible (or any of those other religions, for that matter) in a positive light. Talk about the KKK and abortion clinic bombings and the red scare and how bonkers the country went right after 9/11.
