Oklahoma Education Superintendent Ryan Walters, a Church of Christ member, mandates Bible in every classroom

Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s superintendent of public instruction, has become a prominent figure in national discussions about education and religious influence in public schools. Known for his strong conservative views, Walters has positioned himself as a culture warrior and a champion of the MAGA movement. His recent mandate requiring every teacher in Oklahoma to be provided with physical copies of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Ten Commandments has sparked significant debate.

Walters’ journey to his current role began in a small town in eastern Oklahoma, where he was baptized as a child at the Main and Oklahoma Church of Christ in McAlester. His early exposure to the Bible and history was deeply influenced by his late grandfather, Franklin “Dee” Delano Ball, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Korea and Vietnam. After retiring from the military, Ball opened a barbecue restaurant with his brothers and raised cattle outside of McAlester, a town also home to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

Ball was an elder at the North Town Church of Christ in McAlester and passed away in 2020 at the age of 86. Walters often recalled how his grandfather instilled in him a love for history and the Bible. “We’d talk about the Bible. We’d talk about history,” Walters said, reflecting on his childhood. “He was kind of the history guru who really got me going down that route.”

Walters’ early life and education laid the foundation for his later career. He became an award-winning high school history teacher before entering politics. His experience in the classroom shaped his views on education and the role of religious texts in public institutions. As a finalist for 2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, Walters was known for his passion for history and his commitment to teaching students about the nation’s past.

In 2022, Walters was elected as Oklahoma’s top education official, a position that has placed him at the center of a national conversation about the place of religion in public schools. His recent order requiring teachers to have copies of the Bible and other foundational documents has drawn both support and criticism. The mandate has been seen by some as a way to promote religious values in education, while others argue it infringes on the separation of church and state.

As the debate continues, Walters remains focused on his vision for education in Oklahoma. His background in teaching and his deep-rooted faith have shaped his approach to public policy, reflecting the influence of his grandfather and the Church of Christ tradition in which he was raised. The tension between religious expression and secular education remains a central issue in his role as superintendent of public instruction.

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