Oklahoma social studies standards challenged by group over religious content

A coalition of parents, teachers, and clergy members has filed a 38-page petition with the Oklahoma Supreme Court seeking to invalidate the State Department of Education’s newly adopted Social Studies standards before schools reopen next month.

>>> Oklahoma State Supt. Ryan Walters' social studies standards targeted in new lawsuit

The group argues that the standards violate constitutional protections for religious freedom by incorporating Christian teachings into public school curriculum.

“Parents want to control what their children learn about religion and where and how it’s presented to them,” said Alex Luchenitser, an attorney with Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which is representing the petitioners. “Schools are not the institutions that should be teaching religion.”

The 2025 standards require students to identify Christian influences on the Founding Fathers, including the teachings of Jesus, and treat the Book of Exodus as a historical account of Hebrew migrations. Luchenitser said these elements represent a clear breach of Oklahomans' freedom of Religion.

In addition to the religious content, the group is also challenging provisions in the standards that require students to identify discrepancies in the 2020 election and to study disputed claims about the COVID-19 pandemic. They argue these topics promote misinformation under the guise of historical education.

“We have not had to file something closely similar to this,” Luchenitser said. “This is an egregious violation, and Superintendent Walters has been very open about what he’s trying to do.”

Concerns about the standards emerged in April, when three members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education criticized the adoption process. A similar lawsuit was filed in Oklahoma County in May but was dismissed due to lack of legal standing.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters dismissed the latest legal challenge as politically motivated and defended the standards.

“We’re not going to back down,” Walters said. “We’re going to win this one just like we won the last one.”

Walters maintains that the curriculum does not impose religion on students.

“Every student can choose to believe whatever they want,” he said. “We’re not pushing religion, we’re not pushing faith, but we are going to teach history accurately. There is no doubt that Christianity played a major role throughout American history, and our kids need to understand that.”