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Will David Barton Fill Oklahoma’s Curriculum With Lies and Disinformation?
Earlier this month, Oklahoma’s Christian nationalist state superintendent of education Ryan Walters
announced that he was creating an executive review committee to overhaul the state’s social studies curriculum and that it would be stocked with far-right activists and ideologues. Among those appointed to the committee was Christian nationalist pseudo-historian David Barton, a longtime religious-right activist who has repeatedly misrepresented his academic credentials and whose scholarship is so shoddy that one of his books was pulled off the marked by his own publisher in 2012 after it concluded that “basic truths just were not there.” Barton is notorious for misrepresenting history in order to bolster his right-wing political agenda and for continuing to repeat his false claims long after they have been debunked. Both of these tendencies were on display when Barton appeared on “The War Room” over the weekend.
(Right Wing Watch 7/22/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Earlier this month, Oklahoma’s Christian nationalist state superintendent of education Ryan Walters
announced that he was creating an executive review committee to overhaul the state’s social studies curriculum and that it would be stocked with far-right activists and ideologues. Among those appointed to the committee was Christian nationalist pseudo-historian David Barton, a longtime religious-right activist who has repeatedly misrepresented his academic credentials and whose scholarship is so shoddy that one of his books was pulled off the marked by his own publisher in 2012 after it concluded that “basic truths just were not there.” Barton is notorious for misrepresenting history in order to bolster his right-wing political agenda and for continuing to repeat his false claims long after they have been debunked. Both of these tendencies were on display when Barton appeared on “The War Room” over the weekend.
(Right Wing Watch 7/22/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Opinion: What these states get wrong about the Bible and the Ten Commandments
It has been an especially active few weeks for news about religion in public schools. The Texas Education Agency proposed a new curriculum that would incorporate teaching Biblical stories into reading lessons in grades as young as kindergarten. On June 19, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms in the state. One week later, Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters abruptly issued a memorandum requiring all schools in his state “to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum” in grades five through 12, underlining “immediate and strict compliance.” What exactly is going on here? Public schools are not Sunday schools, and families should feel free to send their children to school without worrying about state officials interfering in their choices about religious instruction. These politically conservative state officials are seemingly making a show of testing the limits of government-sponsored religious instruction and exercise in public schools, emboldened by the US Supreme Court’s recent decisions.
(Amanda Tyler; CNN 6/3/24) READ MORE>>>>
It has been an especially active few weeks for news about religion in public schools. The Texas Education Agency proposed a new curriculum that would incorporate teaching Biblical stories into reading lessons in grades as young as kindergarten. On June 19, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms in the state. One week later, Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters abruptly issued a memorandum requiring all schools in his state “to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum” in grades five through 12, underlining “immediate and strict compliance.” What exactly is going on here? Public schools are not Sunday schools, and families should feel free to send their children to school without worrying about state officials interfering in their choices about religious instruction. These politically conservative state officials are seemingly making a show of testing the limits of government-sponsored religious instruction and exercise in public schools, emboldened by the US Supreme Court’s recent decisions.
(Amanda Tyler; CNN 6/3/24) READ MORE>>>>
‘A better understanding of US history’: Okla. Supt. Defends Bible education in public schools
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is defending his decision to issue a directive that calls for the inclusion of the Bible in public school classrooms. Recently, Walters garnered national attention when he announced that he was changing public school social studies standards to make the Bible more of a focal point in the curriculum. In an interview with The Christian Post on Thursday, Walters defended his directive, explaining that “it is of the utmost importance that our kids get a full understanding of American history.” (Christian Post 7/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is defending his decision to issue a directive that calls for the inclusion of the Bible in public school classrooms. Recently, Walters garnered national attention when he announced that he was changing public school social studies standards to make the Bible more of a focal point in the curriculum. In an interview with The Christian Post on Thursday, Walters defended his directive, explaining that “it is of the utmost importance that our kids get a full understanding of American history.” (Christian Post 7/12/24) READ MORE>>>>>
LAUREN DAIGLE MINISTERS TO 300 WOMEN IN OKLAHOMA PRISON
Christian artist Lauren Daigle visited an Oklahoma prison and ministered to 300 women. She remarked, “When you go into prisons and sing, that is where you get a true sense of freedom.” PrisonThe Prison Fellowship shared on social media how the Christian singer Lauren Daigle used her talent to minister to women inside the prison. She was not indifferent but compassionate toward them.
(Christian Learning 4/24/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Christian artist Lauren Daigle visited an Oklahoma prison and ministered to 300 women. She remarked, “When you go into prisons and sing, that is where you get a true sense of freedom.” PrisonThe Prison Fellowship shared on social media how the Christian singer Lauren Daigle used her talent to minister to women inside the prison. She was not indifferent but compassionate toward them.
(Christian Learning 4/24/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Feb 7, 2023: Baptist Press: Univ. cancels Ken Ham after LGBT group ‘put up a fuss’
EDMOND, Okla. (BP) — Christian apologist and creationist Ken Ham has been dropped from the speaking lineup of a public university after a campus LGBT group complained to event organizers, Ham said in a Feb. 6 press release.
EDMOND, Okla. (BP) — Christian apologist and creationist Ken Ham has been dropped from the speaking lineup of a public university after a campus LGBT group complained to event organizers, Ham said in a Feb. 6 press release.
Apr 1, 2021: Christian Post: North Dakota bans gov’t officials from mistreating churches during pandemics
The House of Representatives in Oklahoma passed a similar bill earlier this month that states that “no governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.”
The House of Representatives in Oklahoma passed a similar bill earlier this month that states that “no governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.”