Oklahoma state superintendent announces guidelines for required Bible education in public schools

Plus, an update on the VP sweepstakes.

In an announcement today, Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters shared guidelines for how the state’s teachers should educate students regarding the new mandatory Bible curriculum. The policy, implemented by Walters, will require educators to have a Bible in the classroom and to teach from it. 

"The Bible is indispensable in understanding the development of Western civilization and American history," Walters said in a statement. "To ensure our students are equipped to understand and contextualize our nation, its culture, and its founding, every student in Oklahoma will be taught the Bible in its historical, cultural, and literary context. As we implement these standards, our schools will maintain open communication with parents to make sure they are fully informed and full partners in their kids' education."

While this would appear to violate the First Amendment at face value, Walters’ press release emphasizes that the pedagogy must be neutral and objective to be “inclusive and respectful of all backgrounds and beliefs.” However, such lofty idealism conflicts with the obligatory nature of the curriculum: Walters’ statement rebuffs school districts that will attempt to opt out of the mandate. 

"Some Oklahoma educators have indicated they won't follow the law and Oklahoma standards, so let me be clear: they will comply, and I will use every means to make sure of it," Walters concluded. 

The ideological nature of Walters’ policies has been quite blatant. Earlier this month, the superintendent announced the formation of an Executive Review Committee to combat so-called “woke indoctrination” within Oklahoma social studies departments. Members of the committee include Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts, right-wing talk show host Dennis Prager of PragerU and the Christian nationalist David Barton. 

Barton in particular has twisted American history and Christian theology to justify a philosophy that interprets the Constitution as being “god-centered” and that the American republic is innately Christian. 

“I was involved in 13 cases at the U.S. Supreme Court,” Barton said in a recent interview on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” show. “Even [former Supreme Court Justice] Stephen Breyer said, ‘We all know the due process rights of the Constitution came out of the Bible.’”

“The right to confront your accusers comes out of John 8:10,” Barton continued. “The right to compel witnesses in your behalf comes out of Proverbs 18:17. The right to speak in your own defense [comes out of] Acts 22:1. If you don’t know scriptures, you’re not going to understand how the Constitution works.”

Whose stocks are rising and falling for the Dem VP nod?

With Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in full swing, speculation around who her running mate will be continues to dominate the headlines. But which candidates appear to have the strongest case, and who might prove to be the weaker option? 

Rising:

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Both governors have been generating headlines with their takedowns of Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH).

"I think if somebody calls you on that, then what you do is at least listen, and I want the American people to know what a Kentuckian is and what they look like, cause JD Vance ain't from here," Beshear said during a Monday interview.

Walz made similar remarks during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. 

Besides their background as leaders of purple states, Walz and Beshear also boast a clear track record of progressive policy-making. In the case of the former, the Minnesota governor oversaw the creation of a universal school lunch program, the statewide legalization of cannabis and gun safety regulations. The latter has been strong on LGBTQ rights, environmental regulation and pushing back against Kentucky’s right-to-work status. 

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

A consistent and vocal Biden-Harris surrogate, Pritzker was included in a recent VP shortlist acquired by CBS. His Midwest roots could be an asset, though Illinois isn't exactly a swing state.

Sen. Mark Kelly (AZ)

Kelly responded to criticism that he wasn’t an enthusiastic advocate of the PRO Act — which would weaken right-to-work laws, expand the ability of labor unions to organize and negotiate workers, along with the legalization of strikes — by voicing support for the bill. 

“Unions loom large in our life, and I’m supportive of the PRO Act,” Kelly said. “I would have voted for it on Day 1 I would vote for it today. I am, like a lot of legislation, working to make it better. But if it came to the floor today or any day going back to the day I was sworn in, I would vote for it.”

Falling:

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro 

In contrast with Walz and Beshear, Shapiro would present a more conservative option for Harris. Shapiro in particular is weak on education policy, as the first-term governor has been unwilling to squash accusations that he’s in favor of implementing a school voucher program in his state.