OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — State Superintendent Ryan Walters asked the State Board of Education to consider a $3 million investment in his effort to get Bibles in classrooms across the state.
Walters said this is in addition to the $3 million that the board has already set aside for the fund.
That makes a total of $6 million dollars out of the OSBE's budget for Bibles.
"This would give us the ability to utilize $6 million in less than two years to ensure that the bible hasn’t been driven out of Oklahoma classrooms," said Walters. "It would be a significant step for the state of Oklahoma to ensure that we’re not allowing the left to censor American history.”
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Board members weren't all for the idea.
Sarah Lepak was the first to raise questions. She asked some for herself, and for parents and teachers at home.
“Why is it on here?" said Lepak. "What are we talking about doing with these Bibles? Why is this a part of this budget ask and not part of something else, like library funds or textbooks or a donation from somewhere?”
Walters said because it's a new concept for the board, he wanted to put the discussion front and center. In other circumstances, those funds would fall under a similar category.
Lepak also asked if something like this was Constitutional.
The board's legal counsel said that it was.
As for the 'why' piece to Lepak's questioning, Walters said he views the Bible as a historical document, which is why he says it should be in all classrooms across the state.
Thursday's meeting drew a large crowd, and the Oklahomans in attendance made their voices heard during public comment.
“Three million dollars extra in bibles?! Amazing," said one woman during her time at the podium.
“I do like the fact that the Bible will be used as a historical document, and not as propaganda or indoctrination, anything like that. I’m against that," said another commenter. "Teachers shouldn’t be putting up symbols in their classrooms, political symbols. I don’t care what the symbol is, I have my leanings, they have theirs."
The board's complete budget, including Bible funding, was not voted on at the September meeting.
Walters proposed an increase to their Fiscal Year 2026 budget, too.
If approved, their budget would go from roughly $4 billion to $4.1 billion.
The board will hold a special meeting in the next few days to get the budget approved by Oct. 1.
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