Putnam City district middle school removes Bible scripture display following inquiry

The Putnam City Public Schools district says it has taken down a display of scripture from the Bible at one of its middle schools after receiving an inquiry from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which called the display unconstitutional.

The Putnam City district is based in Warr Acres and serves that community, along with most of Bethany and parts of northwest and southwest Oklahoma City.

The Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation said it learned about the display from “a concerned Putnam City Schools employee” who was not identified in a news release about the case. The foundation said a display at Western Oaks Middle School, 7200 NW 23 in Bethany, included a verse from the book of Ephesians in the Bible.

Those verses, Ephesians 3:20-21, read, “Now all glory to God, who is able through HIS mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or imagine.”

In a March 15 letter to Putnam City Superintendent Fred Rhodes, a foundation staff attorney, Chris Line, asked the district to remove the display.

More: Group calls for Ryan Walters to resign over video on prayer at Prague Elementary

“It is well settled that public schools may not show favoritism toward or coerce belief or participation in religion,” Line wrote. “This display directly violates the First Amendment by creating the appearance that the district prefers religion over nonreligion and Christianity over all other faiths. Courts have continually held that public school districts may not display religious messages or iconography in public schools.”

After receiving the letter, the school district complied with the foundation’s request. In a letter, the district told the foundation, “Please be advised that, during Spring Break, Putnam City Schools has removed the Bible verse posted on the wall at Western Oaks Middle School.”

Contacted Friday, a Putnam City district spokesman said the district didn’t want to comment further about the situation.

“Children are owed a secular public education free from religious proselytizing,” said the foundation’s co-president, Annie Laurie Gaylor. “We’re glad that the district took swift corrective action after we alerted it.”

Foundation also asked Prague schools to halt student-led prayer

It's the second time in recent months the Freedom From Religion Foundation has sent a letter to an Oklahoma school district. In November, an inquiry from the foundation led Prague Public Schools in Lincoln County to cease the practice of student-led prayer over the intercom at Prague Elementary School.

That led to a public squabble between the foundation and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who posted a video on social media criticizing the foundation’s actions. He said the Prague district had backed down against “a radical atheist group” and added “we’re going to continue to fight for religious liberty and religious freedom here in the state of Oklahoma.” In response, the foundation called for Walters to resign.

Oklahoma schools already are required by law to have a daily moment of silence, during which students are allowed to participate in voluntary prayer. Even so, after the Prague kerfuffle, Walters pushed through the Oklahoma State Board of Education an administrative rule that would require Oklahoma’s 500-plus school districts to “adopt a policy that permits those students and teachers who wish to do so to participate in voluntary prayer.” It would threaten a district’s accreditation if it’s not found to be in compliance.

That rule doesn’t become permanent until approved by the Oklahoma Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt. The Legislature has not yet voted on proposed rule changes by the state Board of Education during the current session.

On X (formerly known as Twitter), Walters responded to the Putnam City situation.

"Oklahoma schools will not be badgered by Wisconsin atheists who’s only goal is to target christians. Oklahoma schools will not become a playground for American hatred. We will be responding to the religion hating @FFRF," Walters wrote in the post.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Putnam City district school removes scripture display after inquiry