New Report on Christian Nationalism in Public Education
Oklahomans United for Separation of Church and State – a coalition of organizations advocating for public education and religious freedom – on Monday released a new report that demonstrates how Ryan Walters may no longer be state superintendent of public instruction, but his unpopular agenda of state-forced religion is still being advanced by Oklahoma politicians.
Report details Ryan Walters’ legacy of religious extremism
“Public Schools, Personal Faith: Protecting Oklahoma Schools from State-Forced Religion” recaps Walters’ legacy of forcing one narrow view of Christianity on Oklahoma’s public school children. While much of his policies were blocked, the report details how his agenda still is being advanced in Oklahoma government – including private school voucher programs, attempts to infuse Christianity into public school curriculum, and efforts to create the nation’s first religious public charter school.
The report also provides results of public opinion research that confirms this agenda of state-forced religion is unpopular with the majority of Oklahomans. The report concludes with suggestions for how Oklahomans can fight back to protect their public schools and religious freedom.
The report’s findings will be discussed during a virtual webinar at 7 p.m. CT Aug. 18. Click here to RSVP.
The report was produced by Oklahoma Faith Network, Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition (OKPLAC), and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
“Oklahomans want excellent public schools in every community. We understand how much depends on them, especially in rural areas where a good school can be the difference between a community that’s thriving and one that’s dying,” said Brent Rowland, executive director of Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice.
“Ninety-two percent of us, across party lines and geography, worry about the quality of our public schools,” Rowland continued. “Our belief in public education is one of our most broadly shared values; it unites us. This report gives voice to a majority view that’s been ignored too long: Oklahomans value the separation of church and state and see through efforts to use faith as a wedge and turn public education into a test lab for one narrow set of beliefs. We want our public schools doing what they were built to do — teaching every child from every family.”
Families, not politicians like Ryan Walters, should decide how children engage with religion
“Oklahomans want families – not politicians – to decide how and when children engage with religion,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. “Religious extremists and their political allies should stop trying to force their personal version of Christianity on Oklahoma families and public school children. This is not only a deeply unpopular agenda, it offends the federal and Oklahoma constitutional promise of church-state separation. We hope this report will equip parents, teachers, educational leaders, faith leaders, and everyday Oklahomans to defend public education and families’ religious freedom.”
