# Oklahoma puts the "God" back in "God damn it, this sucks!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 27, 2024, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416 "2024-06-27T21:48:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/41 "2024-06-28T20:29:36Z")
Anyone wondering why many atheist (including me) are shifting toward the militant end of the spectrum, situations like this play a big role. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/42 "2024-06-28T22:12:50Z")
I would love to be a science teacher doing malicious compliance; Biology: Snakes can talk! Astronomy: Everything revolves around the Earth! Math: Pi = 3! (ETA: that’s 3-exclamation, not 3-factorial) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/43 "2024-06-28T22:15:50Z")
I don’t think deliberately misinforming children to get back at lawmakers is the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/44 "2024-06-28T22:58:54Z")
I think it’d be quite instructive to show Emo doing this to students. Except too many students would think that they’d be the ones doing the pushing. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/45 "2024-06-28T23:50:29Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > It’s like these people don’t even understand children. That’s because they don’t care about them once they’re born. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/46 "2024-06-29T00:13:46Z")
In the latest news, Oklahoma Superintendent Walters threatens to rescind the teaching licenses of those that won’t comply. [OK schools head vows sanctions for teachers who won't teach the Bible](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/oklahoma-schools-bible-ryan-walters-teachers-license-rcna159548) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/47 "2024-06-29T00:36:19Z")
If I were in charge of the state chapter of the NEA my response would be to get every single public school teacher in the state to pledge not to teach the Bible, and then dare the superintendent to fire them all and close the schools. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/48 "2024-06-29T00:41:44Z")
To which these religio-fascists reply ‘Sounds like a better plan than the one we were working on!’ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/49 "2024-06-29T00:47:52Z")
Soooooo…Your plan is to throw him in the briar patch? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/50 "2024-06-29T00:58:04Z")
My plan is to show that teachers don’t want this, students don’t want this, parents don’t want this, it’s an egregious violation of the rights of all three, and if the state wants its future generations to be poor, uneducated, and unemployable, then they should proceed with this plan because there are 49 other states that have a shortage of qualified teachers. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/51 "2024-06-29T01:04:33Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > But the actual result is going to make kids even less interested in the Bible than they already are. Yep, nothing like having to be taught a book, take tests on it, write essays, have the life drained out of it to make a kid loathe the book and never want to read it again. Samuel Butler’s novel “The Way of All Flesh” was a high school assignment of a friend, who hated it. I didn’t have it in school, came across it puttering through the town library, and loved it, in part because it hadn’t been drained of all juice by pedagogical dissection. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/52 "2024-06-29T01:22:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > My plan is to show that teachers don’t want this, students don’t want this, parents don’t want this As if any of those people mattered. > [@Smapti](#): > > it’s an egregious violation of the rights of all three, As if any of that mattered > [@Smapti](#): > > its future generations to be poor, uneducated, and unemployable, then they should proceed with this plan because there are 49 other states that have a shortage of qualified teachers. Your proposal is acceptable. `https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3F2z8ApOI8` ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/53 "2024-06-29T03:04:24Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > In the latest news, Oklahoma Superintendent Walters threatens to rescind the teaching licenses of those that won’t comply. [OK schools head vows sanctions for teachers who won’t teach the Bible](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/oklahoma-schools-bible-ryan-walters-teachers-license-rcna159548) I wonder if he’s aware of this nifty little thing known as contract law. > [@Smapti](#): > > there are 49 other states that have a shortage of qualified teachers The District of Columbia and the territories also have a shortage of qualified teachers. > [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Yep, nothing like having to be taught a book, take tests on it, write essays, have the life drained out of it to make a kid loathe the book and never want to read it again. I despised _The Scarlet Letter_ for that reason when I was in high school. As an adult, I decided to read it again. As it turns out, I despise it now but not because of being forced to read it. I despise the writing. IMHO, there are much better choices from Hawthorne’s writings than that damn book. > [@Smapti](#): > > If I were in charge of the state chapter of the NEA my response would be to get every single public school teacher in the state to pledge not to teach the Bible, and then dare the superintendent to fire them all and close the schools. I like it. As soon as I saw your post, I went to my preferred AI assistant and gave it this prompt: > Can you write a script for a movie sequel to “Inherit the Wind”? This movie sequel will be about the new Oklahoma law requiring the Bible to be taught in every public school classroom in the state and a (pick one) a science teacher, a history teacher, or a civics teacher who refuses to do so and is subsequently fired leading to a court case. And here is the resulting script. > Title: Inherit the Truth > > FADE IN: > > INT. OKLAHOMA PUBLIC SCHOOL - CLASSROOM - DAY > > We see the bustling activity of a public school classroom in Oklahoma. The teacher, MARIA SULLIVAN, a passionate and dedicated history teacher, is preparing for her lesson. The principal, MR. JOHNSON, enters the room and hands Maria a copy of the new state law mandating the teaching of the Bible in all public school classrooms. > > MR. JOHNSON > Maria, I’m afraid we have to comply with the new state law. Starting next week, you’ll be required to integrate the Bible into your history curriculum. > > Maria looks at the document with a mix of disbelief and concern. > > MARIA SULLIVAN > But sir, this goes against the separation of church and state. I can’t in good conscience teach the Bible as a historical or scientific text. > > MR. JOHNSON > I understand your concerns, Maria, but this is the law now. I’m afraid if you refuse to comply, we’ll have to let you go. > > Maria’s resolve hardens as she realizes the gravity of the situation. > > CUT TO: > > EXT. OKLAHOMA COURTHOUSE - DAY > > Maria, now unemployed, stands outside the courthouse, contemplating her next move. She seeks the help of a passionate and driven lawyer, JAMES ANDERSON, who takes on her case. > > INT. COURTROOM - DAY > > The courtroom is abuzz as Maria’s case gains attention from the media and the public. The prosecution, led by the formidable district attorney, argues that the state has the right to mandate the teaching of the Bible to ensure a well-rounded education. > > JAMES ANDERSON > Your Honor, the state’s mandate violates the First Amendment. It coerces teachers to promote religious beliefs in the classroom, undermining the fundamental principle of religious freedom. > > The courtroom drama unfolds as witnesses, experts, and passionate advocates on both sides of the debate take the stand, debating the boundaries of education, freedom of speech, and the separation of church and state. > > CUT TO: > > EXT. COURTHOUSE STEPS - DAY > > As the trial reaches its climax, Maria stands on the steps of the courthouse, surrounded by a diverse group of supporters, including students, parents, and educators. Their signs read “Teach Love, Not Dogma” and “Knowledge, Not Doctrine.” > > INT. COURTROOM - DAY > > The judge delivers the verdict, and the tension in the courtroom is palpable. > > JUDGE > In the case of Sullivan v. Oklahoma Board of Education, I rule in favor of the plaintiff. The state’s mandate to teach the Bible in public schools is unconstitutional, as it infringes upon the rights of educators and students to practice their own beliefs freely. > > The courtroom erupts in cheers and applause as Maria’s victory reverberates across the state and the nation. > > FADE OUT. > > Inherit the Truth - A story of courage, conviction, and the fight for intellectual freedom. > > FADE OUT. I like the suggested title: _Inherit the Truth_. Way back when I was in high school, I took a class titled “Bible as Literature” in which the Bible was taught as exactly that. We discussed the main characters, the themes, the plotlines, and so on. What did not happen was getting taught that the Bible was the foundation of our nation or western civilization, or any religious doctrine. It really was taught the way we were taught the myths of ancient Greece and Rome. And that was in Virginia. The entire South is not benighted, thank…well, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/54 "2024-06-29T03:08:14Z")
As far as just going to other states to teach-He is not just threatening to fire them. He is threatening to rescind their licenses entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/55 "2024-06-29T03:09:35Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > He is threatening to rescind their licenses entirely. I’d like to see him try to revoke the credentials of every single educator in the state. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/56 "2024-06-29T03:11:25Z")
If the goal is to shut down public schools in favor of private schools and/or home schooling, then this is just the excuse he needs. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/57 "2024-06-29T03:21:30Z")
Like that’s not the goal. Isn’t part of the republican cult now a drive to get rid of the federal and state education departments? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/58 "2024-06-29T03:25:08Z")
Rumor has it that “Weird” Al refused to give them the rights to use “Dare To Be Stupid” as the Oklahoma State Song. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/59 "2024-06-29T04:34:38Z")
That might very well be the idea in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416/60 "2024-06-29T21:54:27Z")
Am I the only one who smells a bit of political stench to this action? The Superintendent and Governor must be aware that there will be an immediate lawsuit on separation grounds (which will be successful at some point, though what would happen if/when it came before the current SCotUS is anybody’s guess). Then the “Attack on the Bible!!!” bleating will start, which would energize those of the base who might have been tempted to backslide. Or am I being (excessively) paranoid? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oklahoma-puts-the-god-back-in-god-damn-it-this-sucks/1003416.md?page=4)