Oklahoma parents sue to block State Superintendent's $3m plan to have kids study Trump Bible in class

Oklahoma's Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walter wants to force schools there to teach the Bible—and not just any bible, either. The only bible that met Walter's specifications is the one sold by former president Donald Trump, and Walter planned to spend $3m in state funds buying the $60 pleather tomes—a specification abandoned after it was widely publicized. Now a group of parents, teachers and ministers from other religions is suing to stop the scheme.

The suit alleges that the mandate violates the Oklahoma Constitution because it involves spending public money to support religion and favors one religion over another by requiring the use of a Protestant version of the Bible. It also alleges that Walters and the state Board of Education don't have the authority to require the use of instructional materials.

"As parents, my husband and I have sole responsibility to decide how and when our children learn about the Bible and religious teachings," plaintiff Erika Wright, the founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition and parent of two school-aged children, said in a statement. "It is not the role of any politician or public school official to intervene in these personal matters."

Walters was elected on a platform of fighting "woke ideology" and "leftist indoctrination" in schools. That his main interest in office is imposing the bible on students is injury enough; that it turned out to be a racket to funnel taxpayers' money to Trump added plenty of insult.