EDMOND, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma’s chief training officer has despatched an e-mail to public faculty principals demanding they present their college students video announcement of a brand new Division of Non secular Liberty and Patriotism throughout the state Division of Training.
Ryan Walters, Republican, announced the brand new workplace on Wednesday and Thursday despatched an e-mail to highschool superintendents throughout the nation.
“In one of many first steps of the newly created division, we’re requiring all Oklahoma colleges to launch the connected video to all youngsters who’re enrolled,” in response to the e-mail.
Districts had been additionally instructed to ship the video to all mother and father of scholars.
Within the video, Walters says spiritual freedom has been attacked and patriotism is mocked “by woke instructor unions,” then prays for the leaders of the US after saying college students mustn’t be part of the prayer.
“Specifically, I pray for the president Donald Trump and his group as they proceed to deliver change to the nation,” Walters mentioned.
In saying the brand new division, Walters mentioned it will “oversee the investigation of abuses of particular person spiritual freedom or acts of patriotism.”
Two of the state’s largest districts, Edmond in suburban Oklahoma Metropolis and Bixby in suburban Tulsa, mentioned they’d no plans to point out college students the video.
A spokesman for Tulsa County, the state’s largest, didn’t instantly return a cellphone name for remark. A spokesman for the Oklahoma Metropolis borough, the second-largest, mentioned borough officers would meet to debate the e-mail.
State Legal professional Normal Gentner Drummond’s workplace issued an announcement Friday saying Walters had no authority below state regulation to concern such a warrant.
“This ordinance will not be solely unenforceable, it’s inconsistent with parental rights, native management, and particular person free train rights,” the assertion mentioned.
Walters is now up two cases throughout his tenure in June that colleges turn on the Bible in lesson plans for college students in grades 5 via 12. A couple of school districts have beforehand acknowledged that they won’t adjust to the mandate.
One of many lawsuits additionally notes that the unique request for proposal issued by the state Division of Training to buy the Bibles appeared to have been tailor-made to match Bibles endorsed by now President-elect Donald Trump which retail for $59.99 every.
The request for proposal was later amended on the request of presidency buying officers.
Related Press reported in October that Trump’s God Bless the USA Bible was printed in China, a rustic Trump has repeatedly accused of stealing American jobs and interesting in unfair commerce practices, at a value of lower than $3 per Bible.
Democracy within the stability
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Walters introduced earlier this week that he had bought greater than 500 Bibles for use in superior authorities lessons.
A press release from the training division mentioned the five hundred Bibles, “God Bless Bibles of the USA,” had been ordered Thursday for about $25,000 and can arrive “within the coming weeks.”
Walters, a former public faculty instructor elected in 2022, is working a platform to fight the “awakened ideology”, banning books from faculty libraries and eradicating the “radical leftists” he claims are indoctrinating youngsters in school rooms.
