Oklahoma Defends Bible in Curriculum Mandate As Constitutional

Oklahoma urged its top court to reject a challenge to its requirement to incorporate Bible-teaching in all public schools, saying “its secular value” doesn’t violate the state constitution.

Taxpayers challenging the Bible requirement failed to allege a controversy worthy of judicial review by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the state Department of Education said in a response filed Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed by taxpayers in October, alleged that a directive issued by Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters ordering public schools to incorporate the Bible in the curriculum interfered with parents’ “ability to direct the religious and moral ...