Oklahoma Purchases More Than 500 Bibles for Classrooms

State Superintendent Ryan Walters considers the initiative as a push for academic excellence, while critics say it violates the state’s Constitution.

A bible sits in Surf City Church in Huntington Beach, Calif., on July 20, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Oklahoma’s top education official said Friday that the state purchased more than 500 Bibles for AP government classes as a step toward providing the religious text in every state classroom.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said providing Bibles in Oklahoma’s classrooms would provide critical historical, cultural, and literary context for U.S. students and put the state on a path toward improved academic excellence.