Oklahoma Legislature Will Not Spend $3 Million for Bibles



Oklahoma, the home of Oral Roberts University and a host of right-wing Bible thumping preachers, has turned down a demand from its State Superintendent of Education to fund Bibles for every child in a public school. This after the Superintendent tried to force school districts in Oklahoma to pay for the Bibles from their own budgets. Surprisingly, the Oklahoma legislature and its Governor did not endorse spending this $3 million.

When we tally up 2025 and look for the most ridiculous news stories about fundamentalist religion this one will have to be at the top. It's funny not only because the Oklahoma Superintendent of Education is off his rocker but also because even the Bible quoting Governor won't go there. 

The Superintendent of Education apparently does not realize Bible reading is down. Maybe he has never been on a college campus, as I have been, where Giddeons were handing out free New Testaments. Around the corner from the Giddeons, only a few feet away, the trash receptacle overflowed with New Testaments. Reading the Bible is just not a thing today.

One would think the primary job of any Secretary of Education would be improving the educational program in his/her state. This is especially true in Oklahoma. In 2023 a study looked at the quality of education in all states and guess which state was at the BOTTOM? Yes, Oklahoma. I'll give the state a little room by pointing out it has large areas of rural poor. But, spending the limited amount of money available on Bibles will make things worse, not better. 

A recent survey found that 20% of Oklahomans have not finished the 12th grade. About 10% have finished only the 8th grade. Hopefully, the $3 million not spent on Bibles can find a use that helps educational levels in OK.

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