Thousands of people have signed onto a Christian petition rejecting a rule requiring the Bible to be taught in Oklahoma public schools implemented by the state's Republican superintendent.
In June, Oklahoma public school superintendents received a memo from the Oklahoma State Department of Education informing them that schools would be "required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels."
Superintendent Ryan Walters, whose conservative approach to education has garnered national attention, described the Bible as an "indispensable historical and cultural touchstone." But the new requirement has sparked pushback from many who say it blurs the lines in separation of church and state, as the First Amendment guarantees Americans freedom of religion.
A petition by the Christian organization Faithful America opposing the requirement has received nearly 15,000 signatures as of Friday afternoon. The petition slams the rule as a "blatant disregard of the common good and America's commitment to religious freedom for all."
The group described Walters as "an anti-LGBTQ culture warrior who has threatened teachers over atheism, bans school districts from teaching racial justice, and called a teachers' union a "terrorist organization."
"Forcing Christianity on others is theocracy -- and coercion is the opposite of Christ-like love. Let's speak out publicly together to make it clear to Walters and the entire Oklahoma Department of Education that Christians support religious freedom for ALL," the petition reads.
Newsweek reached out to Walters's office for comment via email.
Walters has defended the rule. He argued that without basic knowledge of the Bible, students are "unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction."
"This is not merely an educational directive but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country," he said in a previous statement.
His announcement followed a ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that publicly funded religious schools are unconstitutional, blocking a plan for what would have become the first publicly funded religious charter school in the U.S.
"The words 'separation of church and state' do not appear in our Constitution, and it is outrageous that the Oklahoma Supreme Court misunderstood key cases involving the First Amendment and sanctioned discrimination against Christians based solely on their faith," Walters said in response to the ruling.
Republicans in other states have also sought to implement rules requiring students to learn about the Bible in classrooms. In Louisiana, Governor Jeff Landry signed into law a bill that would require the Ten Commandments to be on display in all classrooms. In Texas, Republicans have also proposed that the Bible be taught in public schools.
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