Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) expressed concerns about allowing Oklahoma public school teachers to instruct students on the Bible, warning that it could be problematic if those teachers aren’t believers themselves.
Mullin, a member of the Senate education committee, shared his personal preference for his children to learn about the Bible, but emphasized that he would want it taught by someone who has a strong understanding of it.
Senator Mullin emphasizes the importance of seminary education for teachers if Bible lessons are mandated in schools
“I think it’s a slippery slope when you put it in the hands of teachers that may not be believers, that’s going to be teaching the word that can easily be taken out of context,” he explained during a Wednesday interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill.”
He further argued that if the state mandates Bible education, it should also require that the instructors have formal religious training, such as a seminary education. “If you just leave it in the hands of a public school teacher that may not be able to actually teach it because they weren’t taught it themselves, then it can cause a tremendous amount of confusion,” Mullin added.
These comments come shortly after Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters suggested that a national mandate requiring Bibles in schools could be beneficial.
Walters, who has been vocal about including the Bible in American history education, asserted, “Look, I believe that if you’re teaching American history, the Bible absolutely has to be included. And we cannot allow left-wing activists to sit here and say we don’t like Christianity.”
Walters has made headlines for his mandate in Oklahoma that requires the Bible to be present in all public school classrooms, with a focus on the Bible’s influence on American history and culture. The policy has faced legal challenges, with parents and educators arguing that it violates constitutional principles.
When asked by NewsNation host Blake Burman whether Oklahoma should reconsider the mandate, Mullin replied that unless teachers are specifically trained in the Bible, such as having graduated from seminary, the policy could be problematic.
“Unless they’re going to require a person that was trained in the Bible and graduated from seminary school or a different type of Bible school, then, yes, I do believe that’s probably the wrong move,” he said.
