Southwest
'Go to California': Oklahoma State Superintendent slams districts refusing to integrate Bible into curriculum
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters’ directive to integrate the Bible into the public school curriculum isn’t meshing well with some districts.
At least eight large districts across the Sooner State are pushing back against the requirement, as it continues to receive criticism from some and support from others, reports say.
Walters, speaking to “Fox & Friends Weekend,” offered a message for those districts.
OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS NOW REQUIRED TO TEACH BIBLE, TEN COMMANDMENTS: SUPERINTENDENT
Oklahoma’s directive that schools integrate the Bible into public curriculum has garnered controversy from some. (iStock)
“I’m going to tell these woke administrators, if they’re going to break the law and not teach it, they can go to California because… here in Oklahoma schools, we’re going to make sure that history is taught,” he told “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday.
“What we’re doing is making sure teachers have resources in order to teach these concepts that the left has pushed out of our schools. We’re making sure that the guidelines were given out last week to make sure every individual teacher understands exactly what we’re talking about here, the historical references, where these are located in our standards. Because we need our kids to understand our history. We want our kids here in Oklahoma to understand American history better than any in the country, and we’re laying out a roadmap for every state to follow.”
Oklahoma educators are expected to incorporate the Bible into lessons about its influence on U.S. history and the Founding Fathers, per the directive.
OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS CHIEF SPARS WITH CNN HOST OVER TEACHING BIBLE IN CLASSROOMS IN HEATED INTERVIEW
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters speaks during a special state Board of Education meeting, April 12, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
It will also see that each classroom has a Bible from which to teach.
Walters insisted the requirement has support from parents across the state.
“When I ran three years ago, they were crystal clear. Why in the world are we not teaching our kids that our rights came from God? Why in the world are we not referencing all these unbelievable moments in American history where the Bible was cited? It is absolutely part of our history,” he said.
OPINION: WITHOUT THE BIBLE, SCHOOLS DON’T HAVE A PRAYER. OKLAHOMA HAS A SOLUTION
He added, “Our kids have to understand the history of this country and what made it great in the first place, and we won’t allow the ACLU and the teachers unions to attack our schools and say, ‘No reference to God, no reference to the Bible, even when it was one of the most cited books in American history.’”
Louisiana garnered similar controversy earlier this year after passing a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles, Ca
About 20 detained after armed suspect call sparks LAPD response in Koreatown
About 20 people were detained Saturday during a large police response in Los Angeles’ Koreatown after authorities received reports of an armed man threatening people, officials said. Officers responded to the 3400 block of West 8th Street near Kingsley Drive on reports of an assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Los Angeles Police […]
Los Angeles, Ca
Man found guilty of sex trafficking victim along L.A.’s Figueroa Corridor
A former Riverside County man was found guilty of sex trafficking a female victim and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts along L.A.’s notorious Figueroa Corridor.
Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris, was found guilty by a jury following a five-day trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors said Shabazz had led the victim to believe they were in a romantic relationship before he turned physically and sexually violent. He began demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts from May to October of 2021, court documents said.
He carried a handgun with him and, on occasion, was accused of using it to pistol-whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet while threatening to kill her, prosecutors said.
At trial, the victim said Shabazz demanded that she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds and that she was terrified of the consequences of not meeting that quota.
She testified that Shabazz compelled her to work in the notorious Figueroa Corridor in South L.A., a dangerous area known for human trafficking and prostitution.
Shabazz had confiscated her identification card, Social Security card and birth certificate. He constantly monitored her cell phone to stop her from communicating with any friends or family.
“He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life, including when she ate, slept and showered,” prosecutors said.
In May 2025, Shabazz was arrested and has remained in federal custody. His last known address at the time was in Washington, D.C.
On June 26, 2026, Shabazz was found guilty of one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6, where he faces 15 years to life in prison.
“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”
“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”
Anyone with information about human trafficking can report tips to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888
Los Angeles, Ca
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