Opponents of an Oklahoma order requiring schools to teach the Bible are suing the state's superintendent of public instruction, calling the order illegal and asking the state's highest court to halt purchases of materials to be taught this school year.

The lawsuit— filed on behalf of more than 30 community members, including parents, teachers and religious leaders — was filed Oct. 17 in the Oklahoma State Supreme Court. It argues that the mandate should be invalidated and that political firebrand Ryan Waltersa Republican serving as the state's elected superintendent of public instruction illegally seized funds to purchase about 55,000 Bibles worth $3 million.

The complaint states that the policy violates the Oklahoma Constitution by using state funds to purchase religious materials because the mandate “constitutes government favoritism of one religion over another.”

Legal experts say this is a case that other states are likely to watch, as it comes at a time when conservative state officials are testing the divide between church and state. For example, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, recently signed a bill requiring all public schools to display a copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. This law is also being challenged in court.

Walters, who proclaimed the Bible mandate in June and issued subsequent teaching guidelines a month later, he gained national attention for his handling of the rights of LGBTQ+ students and his position in teaching about race and racism. He was actively involved in former President Donald Trump's 2024 re-election effort and said he supported dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. His name has been floated as a possible opening for education secretary in a Trump administration.

Walters has recently come under scrutiny from his own party, with several state GOP lawmakers calling for an investigation in his responsibility for the department's budget, spending priorities and transparency.

In a statement, Walters said Oklahoma will not be “harassed by out-of-state, radical leftists who hate the principles on which our nation was founded.”

“It is not possible for our students to understand American history and culture without understanding the biblical principles from which they emerged. That’s why I’m proud to bring the Bible back to every classroom in Oklahoma,” he said. “I will never give in to the woke mob, no matter what tactics they use to intimidate Oklahomans.”

The lawsuit argues that the Bible mandate violates the separation of church and state

The 32 plaintiffs – including 14 public school parents, four public school teachers and three faith leaders – argue that Walters promotes his religious beliefs in violation of the separation of church and state.

In the complaint, parents — both those who are Christians and those who are not — argue that it goes too far and that the mandate interferes with the education of their children. A longtime educator believes that “the Bible contains confusing concepts, many of which are not age-appropriate for elementary and middle school students,” the complaint states. The filing states: “A religious leader's conscience is violated by using a sacred Christian religious text for what he considers to be political grandstanding.”

The complaint alleges that the $3 million used to purchase the Bibles was also illegally diverted from the salaries of Education Department employees. It also claims that the specifications limit acceptable Bibles. Earlier this month, state officials amended the original request to expand the selection of eligible Bibles after backlash that the original application endorsed a Trump-endorsed edition.

The complaint alleges that school districts have the authority to select instructional materials, but Walters and the state Department of Education do not.

Lawyers representing parishioners said the mandate was an erosion of the separation of church and state and a political ploy. The plaintiffs are represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Oklahoma Foundation, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice.

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United, one of the firms representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement that Walters was “abusing the power of his office” through the mandate.

“Not on our watch,” she said. “We are proud to defend the religious freedom of all Oklahomans, from Christians to the non-religious.”

By and large, religion has been litigated in schools since the mid-20th century, said Whittney Barth, executive director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. Courts have declared devotional reading of the Bible and reciting the Lord's Prayer, as well as religious instruction in classrooms, unconstitutional.

The Bible has historically been taught as literature and has academic value as a historical document, she said. The American Academy of Religion offers guidance about teaching the Bible.

“The interesting thing about this case is the integration of the Bible into the curriculum in a way that I think a lot of people would say has both religious and potentially academic aspects,” Barth said. “I think that raises those concerns.”