The office of Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said Friday that State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a Republican, can’t force schools to show his video announcement of a new religious department, in which he prays for President-elect Donald Trump.
Walters sent an email Thursday to Oklahoma’s public school superintendents requiring them to show students his video announcing the new Department of Religious Freedom and Patriotism within the state Department of Education. School districts were also told to send the video to students’ parents.
What Was in Ryan Walters’ Video?
Walters says in the video announcement that religious liberty has been attacked and patriotism mocked “by woke teachers unions.”
He also said the new department would “oversee the investigation of abuses to individual religious freedom or displays of patriotism.”
Walter prays for U.S. leaders in the video, telling students beforehand that they do not have to participate in the prayer.
“In particular, I pray for President Donald Trump and his team as they continue to bring about change to the country,” Walters said in the video.
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File
What Did AG Gentner Drummond’s Office Say?
Phil Bacharach, the communications director of Drummond’s office, said in a statement Thursday, “There is no statutory authority for the state schools superintendent to require all students to watch a specific video.”
“Not only is this edict unenforceable, it is contrary to parents’ rights, local control and individual free-exercise rights,” Bacharach said.
When reached for comment by Newsweek, Dan Isett, the press secretary for the state education department, said via email Friday night: “Supt. Walters is ending the ongoing attacks on President Donald Trump and his agenda to get prayer back in schools.”
Meanwhile, two of the state’s largest districts, Edmond in suburban Oklahoma City and Bixby in suburban Tusla, said they have no plans to show students Walters’ video.
Donald Trump Bible’s Ordered for Oklahoma Schools
In June, Walters ordered schools to incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for students in grades 5 through 12. Several school districts have previously said that they will disregard Walters’ mandate. Meanwhile, Walters faces two lawsuits over his June mandate.
On Thursday, Walters posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Oklahoma had purchased more than 500 Bibles to be put into classrooms, which appear to be the same Bible Donald Trump endorsed earlier this year—the “God Bless the USA Bible,” which includes the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
The state education department said in a statement that the 500 Bibles are “God Bless the USA Bibles. They said the Bibles were ordered Thursday for roughly $25,000 and will arrive “in the coming weeks.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update 11/16/24, 9:07 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Isett.