NORMAN, Okla. — Pastor Jakob Topper uses teddy bear Bible stories to teach his daughter about Christian faith, avoiding the adult themes in the King James Bible. As a parent and a pastor, he opposes Oklahoma’s mandate to place a King James Bible in every classroom from grade 5 to 12. Topper, who heads NorthHaven Church in Norman, prefers to control his children’s religious education, opposing the state’s proposed social studies standards mandating biblical lessons from first grade.
Norman, a city of about 130,000, is a hub of opposition against the Bible mandate announced by State Superintendent Ryan Walters last June. Predominantly Christian residents, including pastors, professors, and parents, want religious teachings to remain a family or church matter, not dictated by the state. Walters’s push has been criticized as a bid for national attention, linked to his support for Donald Trump’s education policies.
The Bible mandate is part of Walters’s broader Christian nationalist agenda, aligning with actions in states like Louisiana and Texas that aim to integrate Christianity into public education. Walters has advocated for Ten Commandments displays in classrooms and supported a private virtual Catholic school’s conversion to a charter school. Amanda Tyler, a religious liberty advocate, criticizes Walters’s approach as merging American and Christian identities.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently issued a temporary stay against Walters’s plan to purchase 55,000 Bibles and Bible-based lessons. The lawsuit, led by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argues the mandate violates state laws against using public funds for religious purposes. The stay protects the separation of church and state, though Walters insists the Bible is a historical cornerstone of American education.
Walters faces additional lawsuits challenging the mandate’s constitutionality. Proposed social studies standards mention the Bible over 40 times, controversially framing it as foundational to American law. Critics, including biblical scholars, argue these standards promote Christian nationalism by falsely suggesting America’s founding documents are biblically inspired. The standards would require young students to learn biblical stories as historical influences.
In Norman, teachers like Darcy Pippins express discomfort with the mandate, fearing professional repercussions. Superintendent Nick Migliorino openly opposed the mandate, emphasizing that Norman schools already offer religious history education without endorsing Christianity. Walters’s mandate has sparked local and national debate over the role of religion in public education, with ongoing legal challenges likely to shape its future.
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