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Bible mandate in public schools walked back in Oklahoma

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Bible mandate in public schools walked back in Oklahoma


The new superintendent of public schools in Oklahoma announced on Wednesday that he is scrapping a mandate imposed by his predecessor that forces schools to place Bibles in classrooms and incorporate Scripture into students’ lesson plans.

Why It Matters

The issue of Bibles in classrooms in Oklahoma has stirred national debate on the role of religion in public education and religious freedom. The decision by new state Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields to revoke the order represents a victory for supporters of secular public education.

The previous superintendent who imposed the mandate, Ryan Walters, drew condemnation from civil rights groups and triggered a lawsuit from a group of parents, teachers and religious leaders that is still before the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

What To Know

“We…have no plans to distribute Bibles or Biblical character education curriculum in classrooms,” Fields said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Fields’ predecessor, Walters, is a conservative Republican and staunch supporter of President Donald Trump who campaigned against what he saw as “woke” ideology and the influence of teachers’ unions in schools. He resigned at the end of last month to join a nonprofit with a focus on education.

In November, less than two weeks after Trump’s election victory, Walters announced that Oklahoma would be the first state in the nation to purchase more than 500 Bibles to be put into classrooms for students in fifth through 12th grades.

A group of Oklahoma parents, teachers and religious leaders challenged the mandate in the courts, arguing that it was unconstitutional, due to forcing Christian beliefs on public school students.

The groups that challenged Walters’ mandate in the courts, including Americans United, the American Civil Liberties Union Oklahoma, Freedom From Religion Foundation and Oklahoma Appleseed, welcomed Fields’ announcement.

“The attempts to promote religion in the classroom and the abuses of power that the Oklahoma State Department of Education engaged in under Walters’ tenure should never happen in Oklahoma or anywhere in the United States again,” they said in a joint statement.

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Walters stirred more controversy shortly before resigning, with a plan to open a chapter of Turning Point USA—the conservative student organization co-founded by assassinated group CEO Charlie Kirk—in Oklahoma in every high school to resist “radical leftists … (who) push woke indoctrination.”

What People Are Saying

The groups opposed to Walters’ mandate, in their statement: “The promise of separation of church and state guaranteed by the U.S. and Oklahoma constitutions means that families and students – not politicians – get to decide when and how to engage with religion.” 

Walters, in a post to X: “I could not be more disappointed in the decision to move away from empowering our teachers in Oklahoma to use a foundational document like the Bible in the classroom. The war on Christianity is real.”

What Happens Next

The debate over the place of religion in public educational institutions will likely continue in several states across the U.S.



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Oklahoma

Former Oklahoma State QB Zane Flores announces transfer destination in the Big 12

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Former Oklahoma State QB Zane Flores announces transfer destination in the Big 12


Former Oklahoma State quarterback Zane Flores has committed to Iowa State, via the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. Flores spent three seasons with the Cowboys.

Flores began the 2025 campaign as Oklahoma State’s backup QB, but took over starting responsibilities in Week 2 after Hauss Hejny suffered an injury in the season-opener. Flores made nine appearances this past season.

He completed 59.8% of his pass attempts for 1,490 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions. Additionally, Flores recorded 117 yards and two scores in the ground game.

Zane Flores played high school football at Gretna (NE), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 467 overall player and No. 29 QB in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

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Flores is the 33rd player who has committed to Iowa State this offseason via the NCAA Transfer Portal. At the time of his commitment to the Cyclones, Flores was the No. 97 QB in On3’s 2026 Transfer Portal Player Rankings.

Iowa State is entering a new after longtime head coach Matt Campbell left the program to take over at Penn State. Campbell had been the head coach at Iowa State since 2016. In his 10 seasons at the helm of the program, he amassed a 72-55 overall record and a 50-40 mark in conference play.

In response to Campbell’s decision, Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers to be its next head coach. Rogers was Washington State‘s HC in the 2025 campaign. He led the Cougars to a 6-6 overall record.

Prior to his time at the helm of WSU, Rogers was South Dakota State‘s head coach. In just two seasons with the Jackrabbits, he led the program to a 27-3 record and a 15-1 mark in conference play.

Moreover, in 2023, South Dakota State won the FCS National Championship. The team lost in the national semifinals in 2024, but won the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Now, he’ll look to lead Iowa State to similar heights.

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“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.





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Oklahoma Insurance Department offers guidance after Jan. 8 storms and tornado damage

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Oklahoma Insurance Department offers guidance after Jan. 8 storms and tornado damage


The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) offers support to residents affected by the severe storms that hit central and eastern Oklahoma on Jan. 8.

Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready emphasized the department’s commitment to helping those impacted.

“As we begin recovery after this severe weather, the Oklahoma Insurance Department is here to help,” Mulready said. “We want everyone affected to know that if you have questions about your policy, need assistance with the claims process, or just aren’t sure where to start, our Consumer Assistance Division is ready to support you every step of the way.”

Residents can reach out to OID’s Consumer Assistance division at 800-522-0071 or visit oid.ok.gov for support. Mulready also urged Oklahomans to report damage at damage.ok.gov.

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The department provided several post-storm tips for victims, including documenting damage with photos or videos, making necessary temporary repairs, and consulting with trusted roofing contractors. Residents are advised to contact their insurance company after obtaining repair estimates and to save all receipts for any repairs made.

Additionally, the OID warned against contractor fraud, advising residents to get multiple bids, check references, and avoid paying upfront. Suspected fraud should be reported to the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit at 833-681-1895.

For more information on storm preparation and insurance coverage, visit oid.ok.gov/GetReady.

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Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee

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Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee


8:45 p.m. Tornado Update from NWS Norman:

EF1 (high end) at Purcell
EF0 near Lake Thunderbird (south of Stella/northwest of Little Axe)
EF1 west and near the Shawnee Twin Lakes
EF1 in north Shawnee.
There are other areas of damage that we will continue to investigate.

Original story:

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Storms moved through parts of Oklahoma on Thursday morning, with at least five tornado warnings issued and two tornadoes that touched down in Purcell and Shawnee, leaving behind damage.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through central and eastern Oklahoma early Thursday that producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and power outages.

Preliminary information from the National Weather Service in Norman shows that at least EF-1 damage was found in Purcell. Survey teams are continuing to assess the damage that was left behind from the morning storms.

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Officials also reported that widespread power outages occurred in the city, along with downed trees and powerlines, with nine homes having damaged roofs, and a semi-truck rollover accident on I-35 with one injury.

Shawnee also suffered some damage Thursday morning, which includes downed fences and partial roof loss at the Holiday Inn Express. As of Thursday evening, NWS officials confirm that a tornado did touch down in the northern portion of Shawnee; however, a preliminary rating hasn’t been given at this time.

According to Comanche County Emergency Management, damages related to the storms were reported across the City of Lawton, with roof damage at Sheridan and Lee, along with power pole and power line damage.

Lawton Fire Department responded to a rooftop fire at MacArthur High School on Thursday morning, caused by wind damage to AC units.

Lightning strikes in Edmond were reported to have caused a transformer fire near Covell and Kelly, with another lightning strike having caused a tree to fall on top of a vehicle near Covell and Broadway, resulting in one person being injured.

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Straight-line winds were also reported to have destroyed a barn north of Guthrie, while structures were damaged in south Wynona, including a shop building that was devastated and a mobile home that was damaged.

Damage assessments are said to be ongoing at this time. News 4 will provide updates as we learn more.

According to NWS Norman officials, the last time the department issued a tornado warning in January was on January 10, 2020. However, Thursday’s reported tornado was not the earliest for a tornado to occur in Oklahoma. Tornadoes happened in Osage, Mayes, McIntosh, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties back on January 2, 2023.



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