OKLAHOMA CITY –
Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields announced an update regarding previous items and actions from former Superintendent Ryan Walters on Wednesday morning.
The immediate plan, announced by Superintendent Fields, included filing a motion to dismiss and halting Walters’ plan to “distribute Bibles or a Biblical character education curriculum in classrooms.”
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The mandate previously faced a lawsuit filed by a group of Oklahomans, who argued it imposes upon students’ religious liberty.
RELATED: Okla. Families, Teachers, & Faith Leaders File Lawsuit Against Ryan Walters’ Bible-Education Mandate
That lawsuit was filed against Walters and five State Board of Education members, none of whom still hold their positions.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court had previously ordered Fields to decide if the classroom Bible mandate would go forward under his leadership, giving the new superintendent an Oct. 28 deadline.
SEE ALSO: Oklahoma Supreme Court says State Superintendent must decide fate of school Bible mandate
By law, if a public officer is a party to legal action during their term but is then removed or leaves the position, the action passes to their successor, which in this case is Supt. Fields.
The statement ends with addressing the possible resources which could be left to be allocated, to which Supt. Fields mentions how “the timing is fortunate, since the team and I are currently reviewing the budget.”
Interim Communications Director Tara Thompson said the Oklahoma State Department of Education plans to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit over the Bible mandate and that State Superintendent Lindel Fields has no plans to distribute Bibles or a biblical character education curriculum in classrooms. Thompson said OSDE will issue guidance to districts on how to proceed.
Thompson said the Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered a status update by Oct. 28 because the respondents named in the lawsuit left office, and the matter now falls to their successor.
Other updates from Thompson:
- Budget review is the board’s priority, including analysis of how any mandates affect costs.
- OSDE is reviewing all mandates and aims to restore communication and district autonomy, with state testing as the next operational focus.
- OSDE has found no PragerU contract in its records and is unsure if any agreement was verbal or otherwise, Thompson said. She added that some prior statements to media were not factually represented.
- Two employees have left the department since the transition, according to Thompson.
- The Bible mandate is blocked by court order, and Fields has no plans to pursue distribution, Thompson said.
- OSDE hopes to dismiss the social studies standards lawsuit. Thompson said returning to the 2019 standards would be the simplest path if needed.
