The Oklahoma state superintendent vowed on Wednesday to force public schools to comply with his mandate that they teach the Bible and issued striking guidance for teachers, amid pushback from critics who say the move infringes on students’ religious freedom.
The guidance comes about a month after Mr. Walters, a conservative Christian and former high school history teacher, directed all state K-12 schools to teach the Bible.
The directive was met with swift criticism from school district officials and others who said it infringed on students’ and teachers’ rights to religious freedom.
Some school district leaders have responded with defiance, vowing to not comply with the requirement.
But in a social media post announcing the guidance, Mr. Walters sought to crack down on any resistance.
Persons:
Ryan Walters, Walters
Organizations:
Republican, United, Constitution
Locations:
Oklahoma, Independence, American