MAYES COUNTY — A concerned citizen and parent of a student in Oklahoma public schools is suing State Superintendent Ryan Walters over his Bible mandate.
On June 27, Walters announced the policy in a state board of education meeting:
The policy would require every classroom in the state to have a Bible and for teachers to use it in their curriculum.
Since then, several Oklahoma school districts have come out against the policy.
Now, a man named Joseph Price filed a lawsuit against the superintendent, claiming the policy violates the United States and the Oklahoma Constitution.
He's asking the Court to declare the policy mandating the teaching of the Bible in every state school classroom violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and Article II, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution.
He's also asking for a preliminary and permanent injunction preventing Walters from implementing or enforcing the policy, as well as $250,000 for the harm suffered as a result of the policy.
Price claims three Supreme Court cases provide precedent for this case.
Here is the reasoning he provided:
- Engel v. Vitale (1962) — In Engel, the Supreme Court held that state-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause. Similarly, the mandatory inclusion of the Bible in classrooms, even under the guise of historical and literary significance, parallels the issues addressed in Engel and risks government endorsement of religion.
- Abington School District v. Schempp (1963) — The Supreme Court's decision in Schempp struck down mandatory Bible readings in public schools as a violation of the Establishment Clause. This case underscores the constitutional problems with the OSDE's mandate, which could lead to the promotion of religious texts in public education.
- Stone v. Graham (1980) — In Stone, the Supreme Court ruled that posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms is unconstitutional. The inclusion of the Ten Commandments as part of the mandated instructional materials similarly promotes religious doctrine and violates the Establishment Clause.
Further, he argues that Walters' exclusive focus on the Bible can be perceived as promoting a particular religious viewpoint.
Price said in the lawsuit that including other religious texts like the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, or the Torah could provide a more balanced and inclusive approach, respecting the diversity of religious beliefs among students.
In an interview with Walters, 2 News asked him if he was anticipating lawsuits with the policy.
“I don’t worry about lawsuits," he said. "I get sued every day by these left-wing groups to try to come in and stop our agenda. The reality is I know that it is clearly legal. It is clearly in line with the Constitution.”
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