OKLAHOMA CITY AP — Oklahoma’s top education official plans to buy 55,000 Bibles for public schools, with each copy required to include the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. These documents are not typically found in standard Bibles but are featured in a specific version endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters, a Republican, is pushing for Bibles to be placed in every classroom. However, this initiative has faced pushback from some of the state’s largest school districts.
Walters is requesting $3 million in state funds to purchase Bibles that meet specific criteria, including the addition of U.S. historical documents. The Bibles must also be “bound in leather or leather-like material for durability, as outlined in state bidding documents.
According to Oklahoma Watch, the requirements align closely with the “God Bless the USA Bible,” which Trump encouraged his supporters to buy earlier this year. The Bible is sold online for $59.99.
When asked if the bid was specifically for the Trump-backed Bible, a spokesperson for Walters said the proposal is open to any vendor. There are hundreds of Bible publishers, and we expect strong competition for this proposal, said Dan Isett from the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
Former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a Democrat, criticized the bid, suggesting that it could be challenged in court if it limits competition. “All signs point to the Trump Bible that meets all these requirements, he said.
In June, Walters ordered public schools to include the Bible in lessons for grades 5 through 12. The bidding documents also state that the Bibles should include both the Old and New Testaments, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Bill of Rights.
Colleen McCarty, executive director of the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, remarked that very few Bibles on the market would meet these criteria, and all of them are endorsed by Trump.
The Trump-backed Bible’s name is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic song, which Trump plays at his rallies. The Bible’s website claims it is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign. The site states that it uses Trump’s name and likeness under a paid license.
Trump reportedly earned $300,000 from Bible sales, according to financial disclosures released in August. His campaign did not respond to requests for comment.
Walters, a former public school teacher elected in 2022, has campaigned against what he calls woke ideology, advocating for the removal of certain books from school libraries and targeting those he views as indoctrinating children.