Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters got into a heated back-and-forth with CNN host Pamela Brown over public schools using the Bible in lessons.
The "CNN Newsroom" host opened her segment with Walters asking him about the backlash over his mandate to incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments into public schools, amid an ongoing lawsuit against it.
"I have continued to hear the gaslighting from the left, frankly, even from this network, pushing lies about what's going on across America," Walters said. "President Trump has a clear mandate. He wants prayer back in school. He wants radical leftism out of the classroom, wants our kids to be patriotic, wants parents back in charge with school choice. We're enacting upon that agenda here in Oklahoma. That's what our parents want. Every county in Oklahoma voted for President Trump. His agenda is crystal clear, and we're going to enact it in the state of Oklahoma."
"I'm not going to take the bait on what you said about gaslighting from this network on this," Brown responded, following up with a question on a petition against his mandate.
OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS CHIEF SPARS WITH CNN HOST OVER TEACHING THE BIBLE IN CLASSROOMS IN HEATED INTERVIEW
"You know, I appreciate you pushing that left-wing narrative here, but here's the reality. The Constitution—" Walters said before Brown interrupted.
"It's not a left-wing narrative," Brown said. "I'm literally talking about a petition that parents have signed that's gotten more than 14,000 signatures that have raised this issue."
Walters responded that the Constitution was clear about religious liberty and that the "left doesn't want our kids to know anything about the role the Bible played in American history." Brown argued back that the Constitution "is not crystal clear on that" and "doesn't have God" in it.
"Look, CNN doesn't have to like it. Left-wing activists don't have to like it," Walters said.
"I'm just talking about facts. It's not my opinion," Brown responded.
"It's a historical document. The Bible is a historical document. You can't rewrite history, Okay?" Walters said.
Brown continued to press Walters over teaching graphic parts of the Bible and whether there should also be focus on other religious texts like the Quran or the Book of Mormon. Walters pointed out the Bible uniquely influenced American history in ways other religions did not.
"And, again, look, the media doesn't have to like it, but the reality is, the American people have rejected this gaslighting and have put President Trump back in the White House with a clear agenda, and we are going to stand right behind the president every step of the way," Walters said.
"Okay. And, again, just to be clear, this isn't about the media not liking it," Brown concluded. "I'm talking about your critics and whether you're willing to consider their point of view, because, as you know, you oversee an entire education system in the state of Oklahoma with people with varying viewpoints. And we want to bring that to light."
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Walters enacted his mandate for schools to incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments into the curricula for grades 5-10 in June. Multiple Oklahoma schools, however, insisted they would not change their curriculum to include the Bible.
