Oklahoma Supreme Court blocks State Superintendent Walters’ new social studies standards

The Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ new social studies standards on Monday.

A new hold was placed on the K-12 social studies standards enacted by State Supt. Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education. The standards are accused of promoting Christianity to public school students.

According to the court documents, the court prohibits Walters and the state from enforcing these new standards and further stops them from spending any state money on the standards.

“Today’s ruling will help ensure that Oklahoma families — not politicians — get to decide how and when their children engage with religion,” said Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United. “These new social studies standards would violate students’ and families’ religious freedom by promoting one version of Christianity and advancing Christian Nationalist disinformation. Not on our watch. Public schools are not Sunday schools.”

The Office of State Superintendent Walters shared the following statement in response to the ruling:

“The Oklahoma Supreme Court is embarrassing and clearly out of step with Oklahomans. They’re ignoring the fact that in other states, the Bible is openly taught as the cornerstone of Western civilization. Christianity, American exceptionalism, and conservative values are under attack, and the Oklahoma Supreme Court is leading the assault.”