Ryan Walters aims to transform Oklahoma public schools according to his skewed vision of America, thereby limiting various perspectives within the education system. He counts on people being apathetic and uninformed to smoothly execute his one-sided objectives.
Walters insists that Oklahoma public schools should incorporate Christianity into their curriculum. He argues that our country was established based on Christian values and therefore considers this an essential part of national history. However, he is mistaken.
The founders of our country established the fundamental principles of its system of rule based on Humanist ideals, which advocate for the liberties and equal treatment of all individuals under the law. During this era, the prominent figure within this philosophical sphere was John Locke. Alongside his contemporaries, he posited that people inherently possess “natural rights” simply because they exist, rights that predate governmental authority. Locke championed both religious tolerance and the idea that governments ought not favor one faith over another or impose specific beliefs upon their populace.
The foundational texts of our country — the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution — both use language that strongly and persistently upholds these fundamental rights, including liberty, free speech, religious freedom, and due process. Neither document mentions the name of Jesus or the term Christianity. This omission was intentional and unequivocal.
Although numerous founding fathers considered themselves Christian, they strongly advocated for and defended a government separate from religious influence. A notable illustration can be seen in the Treaty of Tripoli — which had iterations endorsed by Presidents John Adams in 1797 and Thomas Jefferson in 1805. This agreement aimed to safeguard U.S. vessels engaged in commerce and navigation against assaults by Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean Sea, and it also served to reassure the Muslim nation that America harbored no animosity toward Islam.
By that time, America had gained independence from Great Britain — which was the dominant power at the global stage — and could no longer rely on British flags for protection. Libya mistakenly believed that America was grounded in Christianity and therefore harbored animosity toward the Muslim world. The eleventh article of the treaty declared: “The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has neither an inherent bias nor hostility towards the laws, religions, or peaceful existence of Muslims…”
An additional instance is the correspondence sent to the Danbury Baptists by Thomas Jefferson in 1802, where he affirmed their right to practice their faith without interference from overarching national religious authority. This missive marked the earliest recorded usage of the phrase “separation of church and state”: “… I observe with profound respect that decision made by all Americans declaring that Congress must ‘make no law regarding the establishment of religion, or forbidding its free exercise,’ thereby erecting a barrier separating Church from State.”
Walters purports to support the initial vision of our Founding Fathers. However, this could not be further from the truth. His actual aim is to manipulate what is taught in our educational institutions, blatantly disregarding the intentions of our Founding Fathers, the spirit of the Constitution, and the public’s grasp of the distinctive values of our country. The constitution’s foundational ideals mean nothing to him; his sole objective is to impose his unfounded hypotheses as legislation.
Most importantly, Walters is diverting both our attention and his own away from the responsibilities he was tasked with when elected. Oklahoma continues to rank near the lowest nationally in terms of the standard of public education and student graduation rates.
There is an urgent requirement for a superintendent who concentrates intensely on enhancing the state’s educational framework, boosting academic achievements, elevating test performances, and recruiting as well as adequately rewarding top-tier teachers. However, we haven’t received any insights from him regarding sensible, innovative, and proactive strategies to uplift the condition of our public schooling system.
The sole perilous extremist aiming to seize control of our society is Ryan Walters. He needs to be ousted through impeachment, a public petition, or by compelling our lawmakers with collective calls from the populace.
Brian L. Freese serves as the head of Freese Architecture, an architectural and design company based in Tulsa established in 1994. The firm has been highlighted in numerous publications both nationally and internationally. Additionally, Freese held the position of president at the Eastern Oklahoma branch of the American Institute of Architects twice.
The article initially appeared in The Oklahoman.
Ryan Walters poses a genuine extreme threat to Oklahoma’s cultural landscape | Opinion