The suit alleges the mandate violates the Oklahoma Constitution because it involves spending public money to support religion and favors one religion over another by requiring the use of a Protestant version of the Bible. It also alleges Walters and the state Board of Education don’t have the authority to require the use of instructional materials.
“As parents, my husband and I have sole responsibility to decide how and when our children learn about the Bible and religious teachings,” plaintiff Erika Wright, the founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition and parent of two school-aged children, said in a statement. “It is not the role of any politician or public school official to intervene in these personal matters.”
“The simple fact is that understanding how the Bible has impacted our nation, in its proper historical context, was the norm in America until the 1960s and its removal has coincided with a precipitous decline in American schools,” Walters wrote.
Wildly incorrect…
Pretty much the opposite really, “In God we trust” wasn’t added to the mid 50s in response to the cold war.
Prior to that one of the foundational beliefs stayed true, separation of church and state.
They’re confusing pushback to a new thing as people fighting against tradition
Something rightwing extremists do a lot of
Where can I donate to their cause as an Oklahoman parent I support this lawsuit.
I mean, it’s better than nothing even if it does sound like Christians sueing Christians to keep the right to make their kids just the right kind of Christian.
Did all the atheists leave Oklahoma or are they simply forced into hiding?
It’s a fallacy to think the loudest are the majority. I’m not saying it’s not true in this case, it’s just a flawed premise.
Unfortunately, surveys still suggest atheists (and “nones”) in general are a minority in the US, although it’s growing. But yeah, that’s a true statement anyway.
I’d imagine Oklahoma is probably one of the worst, though there’s a saying in atheist communities: fastest way to make someone athiest is to make them read the Bible. On that, they might be doing atheists a service, haha.
Religion is dying all over the world at a rapid pace.
As parents, my husband and I have sole responsibility to decide how and when our children learn about the Bible and religious teachings
I’m actually surprised this is the first time I’ve heard this argument, because there’s a lot of parents who don’t necessarily object to teaching the Bible in school, but are concerned that the way it’s being taught in school differs from how it’s taught at home. A Catholic would naturally have a problem with Protestant teachings in school, not to mention all of the different Protestant denominations.
I think, ultimately, that denominational infighting is what’s going to sink this.
Fingers crossed.
I think, ultimately, that denominational infighting is what’s going to sink this.
Isn’t that the original idea behind the Establishment Clause? The founders weren’t worried about religions, but denominations.
They were descendants of people who fled England specifically because they didn’t like the official church and refused to pay taxes that support it.
That’s long before the Constitution. At the Founding, you have Congregationalists in New England, Presbyterians in New Jersey and Philly, Quakers in Pennsylvania, Catholics in Maryland, and Church of England and Methodists all throughout. Which denomination should the federal government support? None, they decided.
Maybe this is a defense thing. Those bibles can get pretty hefty. Should stop a bullet in a pinch.
Not from an AR-15
