Southwest
Without the Bible, schools don’t have a prayer. Oklahoma has a solution
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Special interest groups are trying to keep a ban on books in Oklahoma, but not the ones you’re probably thinking of. These books are thousands of years old, were taught in American schools from the earliest days of our republic, helped guide our founders and greatest statesmen at critical points in our history and helped forge Western civilization. I’m referring to the books contained in the Bible.
I just announced that Oklahoma schools would incorporate the Bible into their educational curriculum for grades 5-12 in the 2024-2025 school year. The backlash has been as venomous as it has been completely predictable. Let me be clear: we will teach the Bible.
The simple fact of the matter is that the Bible is the most consequential piece of literature in the history of Western civilization. Whether or not one chooses to accept it as the inspired word of God, there is simply no way to fully understand the history of this country, the world in which it was founded, or the millennia of human events that led up to the making of America without being at least somewhat conversant in what it contains.
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While I have previously written at length about the Judeo-Christian tradition’s unquestionable importance in our founding, the Bible’s significance at the most critical moments of our history cannot be denied. Empirical analysis of the writings of our founding generation found that they referenced the Bible far more than any other philosophical work.
The Bible figures in a huge part of American history and Oklahoma has a plan to teach it. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that our rights are endowed by our creator in the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln’s most eloquent arguments against the evil of slavery — in addition to hearkening to the Biblical truths articulated in the Declaration of Independence — were also based on scripture.
Most notable among these was his “House Divided” speech, which drew its key imagery from Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew. His now-famous fragment on the Constitution and Union borrows from the Psalms in calling the Declaration the “apple of gold” in a “picture of silver” framed around it. Martin Luther King Jr. pointed to these same Biblical truths, when making the case to the American people during the civil rights movement.
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American students deserve to know the role that the Bible played in American history and its role in shaping the very American idea. We owe it to them to teach them. Furthermore, we owe it to the generations before us who founded this country and preserved this experiment in liberty in self-government for us.
We should not forget that we are inheritors and stewards of this country, and we cannot preserve something that we do not properly understand — neither can our children. It is academic malpractice not to include the Bible in our curricula and it is cultural malpractice to deny its role and importance to history and our way of life.
Yet, we have seen the Bible driven out of public discussion, out of common knowledge and out of American schools through the left’s militant anti-theistic march through our culture and our institutions. The Supreme Court has completely ignored the role of faith in our founding for the past several decades in many of its cases driving scripture and prayer from our classrooms and schools writ large.
To call this unconstitutional is simply absurd. Some will claim that this should be prevented by a so-called “separation of church and state.” As I have already explained elsewhere, that canard is an anti-religious myth masquerading as legal theory.
Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that our rights are endowed by our creator in the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln’s most eloquent arguments against the evil of slavery — in addition to hearkening to the Biblical truths articulated in the Declaration of Independence — were also based on scripture.
Never mind that the Bible was an expected part of the curriculum in American schools up until about the last 60 years or so. One way to square this would be the laughable idea that our founders simply misunderstood the Constitution they wrote, which is absurd on its face.
Some will say that a “living Constitution” now requires that we scrub religion from schools. But written constitutions are not “living,” they are made of words with concrete meanings printed with ink onto pulverized, dead trees. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights mean today what they meant when they were written. Teaching the Bible is constitutional.
Put simply, the Bible was key to making America great and to making America at all, for that matter. Today, it is critical to keeping America great. We are going to teach it in Oklahoma. I welcome all challenges to this action — political and legal — and I look forward to defending this necessary, commonsense policy out in the open. Our children deserve it, and our country needs it.
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Southwest
Officer clings to life after homicide suspect allegedly unloads gun on police during high-risk arrest
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A Texas police officer is in critical condition after being shot in the head by a homicide suspect earlier this week.
The incident unfolded just after 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 23, when officers with the Corpus Christi Police Department responded to a shooting in the 4900 block of Ayers Street, located approximately 145 miles from San Antonio, according to FOX 4.
When authorities arrived, they reportedly located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The individual was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Less than an hour later, officers located the suspect’s vehicle in a nearby area and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, FOX 4 reported.
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Officer Alexandria Cano-Castro, 38, is in critical condition after being shot in the head by a homicide suspect in Corpus Christ, Texas on Jan. 23, 2026. (Constable Mark Herman’s Office/Facebook)
However, authorities say the 38-year-old suspect pulled out a handgun and began firing on the three officers.
Two officers were reportedly struck as they exchanged gunfire with the suspect. A third officer also sustained injuries after being struck by shrapnel.
“Officer (Alexandria) Cano-Castro, a 36-year-old senior officer, was shot in the head while attempting to apprehend a homicide suspect,” Constable Mark Herman’s Office in Harris County said.
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Three officers were injured while attempting to arrest a homicide suspect in Corpus Christi, Texas on Jan. 23, 2026. (Google Maps)
Cano-Castro was subsequently transported to a hospital in critical condition. The other officer who sustained gunshot injuries was listed in stable condition, while the third received treatment for their injuries, FOX 4 reported.
The homicide suspect was shot multiple times in the exchange and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remains in custody and is expected to survive.
Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or the identities of the other two officers involved.
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Flags fly over office towers in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas. (iStock)
“This was a homicide suspect that we found pretty quick. Unfortunately, it ended like this,” Police Chief Mike Markle reportedly said. “We’re praying that these officers are stable. We have one critical officer, a female officer, and we’re going to make sure we’re checking on her.”
The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, per department policy, as the investigation remains ongoing, FOX 4 reported.
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The Corpus Christi Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Southwest
Texas Gov Greg Abbott calls for CAIR to be stripped of non-profit status
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called on the state’s attorney general to strip the Council on American-Islamic Relations of its non-profit status Thursday.
Abbott made the request in a letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton that was released by the governor’s office. The letter also urges Paxton to prevent CAIR and its affiliates from operating in Texas.
“Under Texas law, the Texas Attorney General is the only elected official charged with regulating nonprofits that may be violating the law,” Abbott wrote, calling on Paxton to take action.
Paxton’s office says it is already investigating two school districts for ties to the Islamic Games of North America, a group that works regularly with CAIR.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for a crackdown on CAIR. (Antranik Tavitian/Reuters)
“The spread of radical Islam in Texas must be stopped, and if school districts are continuing to promote or partner with organizations tied to an FTO, that ends now,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I will ensure that taxpayers’ dollars are not materially supporting activities by Islamist terrorists in violation of Texas law.”
Abbott has previously called on school districts to sever ties with CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood. He argues the organizations cannot legally operate on public school property, according to Click2Houston.
“Voluminous documents detail the dangers posed to Texans by the Muslim Brotherhood, CAIR and their affiliates,” Abbott said in a statement. “Regardless of the facade CAIR attempts to portray in press releases, CAIR cannot be allowed to use its ‘nonprofit’ status as a shield for sponsoring terror, advancing radical Islamism in Texas or fronting for the Muslim Brotherhood.
“The same goes for other entities pretending to engage in charity by day, while sponsoring terror by night.”
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking action against CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
CAIR has denied accusations from Abbott’s office, including that the organization is a front for Hamas. The group called Abbott “desperate” in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Greg Abbott has spent several years trying and failing to silence Texans who dared to criticize the waste of American taxpayer dollars on the Israeli government’s crimes,” a CAIR spokesman said.
“While CAIR’s legal team deals with Mr. Abbott’s antics in a court of law, CAIR-Texas remains squarely focused on protecting free speech, religious freedom and civil rights for all Texans.”
CAIR says it has sued Abbott “to block his unconstitutional proclamation targeting our Texas chapter.”
Abbott’s call comes weeks after the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith referred CAIR’s California chapter to the IRS for investigation. His referral cited alleged misuse of taxpayer funds, potential violations of federal law and support for unlawful activity.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith is urging the IRS to investigate whether a California-based chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations should lose its tax-exempt status. (Leonard Ortiz/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
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“Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right,” Smith, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital earlier this month. “Organizations that receive special treatment under the tax code must follow the law and operate in the public interest, not bankroll illegal activity, mislead federal agencies or misuse hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”
Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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Southwest
Brother killed after teen becomes ‘enraged’ over video game, stabs sibling: police
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An Oklahoma teenager is behind bars after allegedly calling 911 to tell authorities he stabbed his brother to death after becoming “enraged” over a video game.
Oklahoma City police were called to the scene of a domestic stabbing at Southeast 44th Street and Bryant Avenue around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to FOX 8.
When they arrived, officers learned two brothers, 19-year-old William Spencer and 25-year-old Nicholas Spencer, were reportedly playing video games when William Spencer became angry and allegedly stabbed his brother.
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William Spencer, 19, is charged with first-degree murder in the alleged killing of his brother in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Oklahoma County Detention Center)
“The calling person called in and said they had just stabbed their brother, officers got here and found a male with serious stab wounds,” Oklahoma City Police Master Sgt. Rob Robertson said, according to FOX 8.
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The Oklahoma County Detention Center is pictured in Oklahoma City on Oct. 3, 2023. (Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman via USA Today)
Paramedics transported Nicholas Spencer to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“Very tragic story,” Master Sgt. Gary Knight said during a news conference, according to Law & Crime. “Two brothers who were playing video games. One became enraged over the game, got mad at the other and simply stabbed him to death.”
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Authorities with the Oklahoma City Police Department reportedly responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic stabbing incident in an Oklahoma City suburb on Sunday, January 18, 2026. (iStock)
Immediately following the incident, William Spencer “stayed at the scene,” and was later “taken into custody, interviewed and then also booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center,” Knight reportedly said.
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William Spencer allegedly admitted to his role in the killing and was transported to the Oklahoma County Jail and booked on a charge of first-degree murder, Law & Crime reported. He remains in custody on $10 million bond.
The Oklahoma City Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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