The office of Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters (R) announced in response to a report that the standards were so narrow that virtually no Bibles other than those endorsed by former President Trump were eligible. has defended the state's process for selecting the new required Bibles for classrooms.
Oklahoman reported on Friday The version of the vanishing view matches the specific parameters requested by the superintendent in the request for proposal (RFP). That is, a Bible bound in leather or leather-like material and containing the Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. , and the New King James Version of the Old and New Testaments.
“While the RFP appears fair on the surface, further scrutiny reveals that there are very few Bibles on the market that meet these criteria, and all of them have been approved by former President Donald Trump.” Colleen McCarty, Attorney General and Appleseed Law Center of Oklahoma, told the press.
A spokesperson for Walters' office told The Hill that “it would be inappropriate to comment while bidding is in progress” about who will supply Bibles to classrooms in Oklahoma.
“We are excited to be able to bring the Bible into Oklahoma classrooms with its important historical and literary context.” “We have committed to an open and transparent RFP process that adheres to our procurement standards. There are hundreds of Bible publishers and we expect strong competition for this proposal,” the spokesperson said. .
The state of Oklahoma found a salesperson from Mardell Christian & Education who said none of the 2,900 Bibles the company sells met the standards laid out by the state of Oklahoma.
Two Bibles endorsed by President Trump, the “We The People Bible” and the “God Bless the USA Bible,” both meet the criteria and sell for $90 and $60, respectively.
Walters asked for $3 million to buy 55,000 Bibles for classrooms in Oklahoma.
The state's former attorney general told local media he was concerned about the legality of the process used to select suppliers to supply classroom Bibles.
“This bid does not appear to be competitive in any way,” said former state Attorney General Drew Edmondson. “The basic specification adds other requirements unrelated to the main text. Special binding and inclusion of government documents will exclude almost all bidders. If it is unnecessarily excluded, it can be considered a violation.”
Professor Walters issued a directive earlier this year directing schools to include the Bible in their open lesson plans. The guidance requires a Bible in every classroom and lessons on Christian scripture that emphasize its historical context, literary significance, and artistic and musical influence.
Walters said schools “will comply and I will do everything I can to make sure” but some school superintendents in the state have made it clear they will not heed the order. did.
“I tell teachers to keep doing what they're doing and teaching to Oklahoma academic standards. Don't worry about what the State Department says about repercussions, discipline, etc.,” one said. the superintendent told The Hill.
