New state law allows students to leave school for religious classes
A new state law that allows religious instruction during a school day is creating some controversy.
House Bill 1425 will allow students to leave school for up to three class periods a week for outside religious instruction.
The bill narrowly passed out of the House and Senate with pushback from Republicans and Democrats, but it was ultimately signed by the Governor on June 5. News 9 sat down with the state superintendent to discuss how he envisions this program working.
“Love it, love it,” said State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters says he’s a champion for House Bill 1425, calling for religious expression in Oklahoma schools.
“It’s very important that we protect our religious liberties. It’s one of the most foundational liberties we have as a country so we want to protect those things,” said Walters.
The new law creates a “released time course,” or a class period where a student is excused from school to attend a course in religious or moral instruction.
“What you do is you allow churches to go in and they apply to the school board, to say I want to offer this type of course,” said Walters.
Walters says the Oklahoma State Department of Education is working with local school boards to set parameters.
“We need more involvement from churches and religious groups in our schools,” said Walters.
Now, The Satanic Temple says they have plans to participate.
A post to social media says that the signing of this bill makes “Oklahoma the first state to offer students school credit for The Satanic Temple’s religious and morality classes.”
