Ryan Walters calls for Ten Commandments in every classroom, promotion of 'Western culture'
Oklahoma state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters called for a series of steps Thursday to promote Christianity and “Western heritage” in every classroom, including a display of the Ten Commandments.
Walters discussed recommendations from a group calling itself the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Founding Principles during Thursday’s Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting. The council offered three recommendations, which Walters endorsed:
Hold a minute of silence at the beginning of the school day with the following announcement: “We now pause for a minute of silence in which students and teachers may use this minute to reflect, meditate, pray or engage in any other silent activity.”
Display a “durable poster or framed copy” of the Ten Commandments in each public school classroom.
Require a “Western civilization” course for graduation “to strengthen the heritage which was integral to the nation’s founding and its western culture, as well as to foster gratitude and informed citizenship.”
Oklahoma schools already hold a moment of silence to start the day, but the other recommendations are not currently required.
Walters said he would explore options for implementing the two additional recommendations but did not provide any details.
"We will be coming back soon with actions around the other recommendations," Walters said after the meeting. "We are looking at all options."
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Ryan Walters said liberals are trying to destroy religion
Walters said the promotion of faith in classrooms was a way to restore morality and combat his political opponents.
“The current national left-wing indoctrination is attempting to destroy religion as a way to destroy our entire country,” Walters, a Republican, said during Thursday's meeting.
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The Oklahoma Advisory Council on Founding Principles sent Walters its recommendations in a Feb. 14, 2023, letter, which included a masthead that said, “God in Public Schools,” and asked the superintendent to “take every action possible to allow corporate prayer and expressions of faith in God back in our public school system.”
Walters said the council was independent of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, but he asked them to make recommendations.
The 11-member committee includes Jackson Lahmeyer, a Tulsa pastor who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate last year and launched an organization called "Pastors for Trump." Other committee members include Stephen Hamilton, Michelin Butler-Lopez, Derwin Romani, Wade Burleson, Howard Hatcher, Aiya Kelley, Bob Linn, Jesse Leon Rodgers and Silvie Tacker.
Masood Abdul-Haqq was listed as a committee member on a document handed out by the state Department of Education but resigned the next day. Abdul-Haqq said, "It was in my best interest not to participate in this committee," according to a resignation letter first reported by KOKH Fox 25.
Adbul-Happ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ryan Walters calls for Ten Commandments in every Oklahoma classroom