OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — More controversy at Wednesday’s Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting surrounding State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ requirement that the Bible be taught in every classroom.

Wednesday was the first board meeting since school districts received new guidelines for teaching the Bible and several local school districts announced they will not comply.

In the midst of this, with classes just two weeks away for most districts, several have not received their preliminary notice for Title 1 funding, which is a major part of some districts’ financial planning.

Walters started the meeting by addressing that some school districts are not following the requirement to use the Bible as part of their curriculum, any more than the current standards already suggest.

This has sparked debate in and outside of that meeting as some schools are raising their concerns about this requirement and other subjects as we inch closer to the next school year.

“So these are the districts that want pornography in front of kids under the name of ‘inclusivity’, but don’t want the historical context of the Bible. It is outrageous; we will not allow it,” Walters said.

Walters continued his position that school districts must comply and follow new guidelines for teaching the Bible or face possible action from the state.

“We’re gonna be putting Bibles back in the classrooms, we’ve made that crystal clear. We will not allow rogue districts to lie to our kids and not teach them history,” Walters said.

Multiple school districts in Green Country have said they will not take any action because state standards already allow the Bible in classrooms.

They also cite Oklahoma law which enables districts to choose what texts are used in their curriculum.

Members of the public either praised or criticized this requirement at Wednesday’s meeting.

This memo was not the only controversy of the meeting.

Multiple Oklahoma school districts are raising concerns saying they have not received their preliminary allocations for Title 1 funding.

That funding is hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal money that districts get to support things like school lunches and special education.

“Same time every year, late August. It’s the same time every year,” Walters said.

Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller is one local superintendent sounding that alarm by sharing the following posts on social media.

“It’s nearly August, and #oklaed schools have yet to receive Title I allocations from @OSDE for FY25, which started July 1. Districts used to get preliminary figures in the spring, most recently in May 2022, under prev. SDE leadership. These were helpful in planning budgets.”

“Title I is a federal program that assists low-income students with challenges in reading or math or who risk falling behind. Without budget numbers, schools cannot make final staffing decisions or procure materials needed to support these students.”

“The talent drain at the @OSDE and the absence of leadership and accountability are directly responsible for this situation. Maybe @RyanWaltersSupt can take a break from his travel and media events, stop by the office (if he remembers where it is), and help us out.”

When confronted with these claims, Walters shared the following response.

“Yeah, Rob’s a Liar. I mean he’s really a true embarrassment. He knows every year when he gets Title 1 funds in. We’re dealing with financial problems at his district and we’re addressing that. So, Rob’s a clown and a liar and he knows that,” Walters said.

Just after that meeting, FOX23 called Bixby Public Schools. They said Title 1 funding has not been that way every year. It has only been that way since Walters took office.

FOX23 also spoke with Miller after Walters’ comment. Miller said he doesn’t respond to juvenile name-calling.

Also addressed at Wednesday’s board meeting, Walters said the department is going to begin looking into illegal immigration’s impact on Oklahoma schools.

They also plan to request clarity from the state attorney general’s office on what authority they have over the OSDE.