Letters: Do Oklahomans want schools teaching the Bible in classrooms?

Bibles in every fifth- through 12th-grade classroom?

State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters announced on national television that starting immediately, every public school classroom in Oklahoma from fifth through 12th grade is to have a Bible in it, and teachers are to teach from it. He later published a statement that instruction will follow, directing what is to be taught "to insure uniformity."

As a Bible believer (I have a theology degree from a Bible college), I love the Bible, but I’m absolutely appalled by this action by a school leader who has tried since his election to force his own agenda on schools.

Aside from whether or not Oklahomans might like the Bible in schools, as a practical matter, we can anticipate dozens, if not hundreds of lawsuits that our schools and government will have to defend, at a cost of millions of dollars that could have gone to improvements in schools as well as services to those in need or road and infrastructure upkeep.

But on another level, the United States is composed of not only Christians, but those of many other faiths, or no faiths. I would be ashamed to force those parents to stand helplessly by as their children are being taught ― in public schools that they support through their taxes — a religion they don’t embrace, even as I wouldn’t want my children to be indoctrinated in Islam or any other religion in school. Religion should be the responsibility of parents, not schools!

The First Amendment to our Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

― Ed Koonce, Mustang

'Separation of Church and State' was intent of the First Amendment

I am appalled at the lack of knowledge of state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters in light of the fact that he is supposed to have a degree in history. His statement that the Oklahoma Supreme Court "got it wrong" and that "separation of church and state is not in the Constitution" is ludicrous.

Although Founding Father James Madison was the principal author of the First Amendment to the Constitution, Republican President Thomas Jefferson is the one who originated the amendment in a draft. Amendments to the Constitution are the Constitution. Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Amend, Amendment, = "To change for the better, improve, to alter formally in phraseology. Correction of faults, the process of amending a constitution." First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

Since 1776, when questions presented themselves as to what legislators intended by passing legislation, what the "purpose" was, of the law's intent, it has been settled by determining "legislative intent." Since 1776, the courts, the legal profession, etc. have looked to the writers of a law (in this case, Thomas Jefferson) and what they said referring to that law in other documents.

The Danbury Connecticut Baptist Association upon Jefferson's election to the presidency wrote to him and pled for help because they were suffering from the oppression by the theocracy of other religions, which they were subject to. Jefferson wrote back to the Danbury Connecticut Baptists and in that letter, Jefferson wrote the now famous phrase "Separation of Church and State," thus, solidly establishing forever the legislative intent of the First Amendment.

Two of the standard responses by Christian nationalists to this, in their quest to turn the U.S. into a theocracy, is "separation of church and state is not in the Constitution" and/or "the First Amendment is not the Constitution." Just plain appallingly ludicrous and lacking of knowledge about their own country's history.

― Rev. John E. Karlin, Oklahoma City

Opinion:There is a right way to teach religion in schools. It's about embracing diversity

Bible instructions should come with disclaimer

Since Superintendent Ryan Walters wants to expand the use of the Bible in the state's schools, one can only hope, that in terms of being truthful, whenever the Bible is used ilt should be prefaced by the following statement. "The views in the Bible, including the Ten Commandments, are borrowed from Judaism."

― Samuel A. Oppenheim, Franklin, Maine; retired emeritus Professor of History, California State University, Stanislaus.

Another reason to fly over?

REF: Oklahoma schools head Ryan Walters: Teachers who won't teach Bible could lose license; NBC News, June 29, 2024.(This is) another superb reason to keep flying over ― never, ever to ― Oklahoma.

― Randal McChesney, Bellevue, Washington