CNN's Pamela Brown grills Oklahoma school chief Ryan Walters over directive to teach Bible in classrooms

TULSA, OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, defended the recent mandate requiring the integration of the Bible into classroom lessons during a heated exchange on CNN on Tuesday, July 2.

"The Bible includes beheading, rape and incest," CNN host Pamela Brown addressed Walters at the beginning of the interview. "Do you support teaching children about those topics?"

Ryan Walters emphasizes not teaching the Bible in classroom is academic malpractice

Walters did not directly answer Brown's question; rather, he emphasized that referencing the Bible is crucial for understanding historical documents and major events in our nation's history, from its founding to the Civil Rights movement.

"It had a profound influence on American history. It was the best-selling book in American history. To not teach that in the classroom is academic malpractice," he told Brown.

The debate intensified as Brown persisted in questioning whether the Bible's more graphic elements are appropriate for classroom discussion.

"Will you allow teachers to teach all aspects of the Bible? How are teachers supposed to know what of the Bible to teach and what not to teach? It's a simple question," she inquired once more, alluding to the conservative figure's campaign to eliminate books deemed pornographic from school classrooms and libraries, Fox News reported.

"Let me be crystal clear: The Bible is not on the same plane as ‘Gender Queer’ and ‘Flamer,’" Walters retorted. "These are pornography."

"We have academic standards that tell our teachers that you are to talk about the Bible in reference to the Mayflower Compact, letters from a Birmingham Jail, the Declaration of Independence," he added.

Walter went on to say, "It‘s very clear from primary sources that these individuals referenced in our history, they referenced the Bible. So, look, when it‘s historically accurate, we're absolutely going to include that. I mean, think about how absurd it would be to teach about the Pilgrims if you don‘t mention their intention for moving to the New World?"

He asserted, "It‘s crucial and we‘re not going to allow the radical Left to continue to push a false history on our kids that said that faith played no role. Well, just read the history. It’s clearly there."

Pamela Brown challenges Ryan Walters' views on the Bible

Brown persisted in challenging Walters' viewpoints, presenting counterarguments to his claims about the Bible and Christianity's impact on America's foundation.

"We should note… God is not mentioned in the Constitution. It is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, but not a Christian God, right, and it also says that all men are created equal. And one would argue it‘s not creating a stature of, ‘If you‘re a Christian, if you believe in the Bible, you are of a higher stature,’" Brown replied.

The CNN host was told by Walters, who persisted in his argument, "People can be offended by that, they may not like it, but they can't rewrite our history."

"To censor the Bible out of our schools is to create our schools to be state-sponsored atheist centers," Walters continued. "Our position is purely historical."

Oklahoma's public schools must incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments as "instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels," according to a recent directive from the state's top education official.

In the study of "history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion…as well as for their substantial influence on our nation’s founders and the foundational principles of our Constitution," the religious text will be cited as appropriate, according to the memo.

According to Walters' memo, the educational standards that were approved in May 2019 are in line with his directive.

While Louisiana's Republican Governor Jeff Landry enacted a law last week mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom by 2025, Walters claims that Oklahoma is the first state to mandate the immediate use of the Bible in all classrooms.

Controversial inclusion of  Bible in public schools sparks widespread criticism on social media

As soon as the news went viral on social media, users started reacting to it. One wrote, "Sounds like a mess. Politicians always trying to sneak their personal beliefs into education. Like, who's gonna pay for all that Bibles-in-school nonsense? Taxpayers or the church?"

Another user added, "If they insist on having the Bible in public schools, then they also need to include these religious texts as well. That is our constitution-freedom for all religions! The Quran, Adi Granth, Rig Veda, Upanishads, Taoism & and others that I don’t have the space to list here."

The third commentator slammed Walters saying, "He doesn’t even have an advanced education degree."

"I'm Catholic. Teaching the Bible in school is UNAMERICAN! It goes against the 1st amendment. You know, that amendment the right yells about daily. It does not belong in public schools. PERIOD. You want to learn about the Bible? Go to church and Sunday school like I did. Fascists!" One said.

A person said, "You really are an embarrassment to Oklahoma and America. You should have resigned a long time ago. During your free time, you should read the U.S. Constitution."

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