Because we have to take our joy where we can

 ...I do want to be sure others appreciate the "pick me" energy coming from Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters, one presumes in pursuit of the Secretary of Education position. 

It's no good pointing out that if there is no Department of Education, there will be no Secretary of Education; this isn't a crew that thinks this way. 

In any case, last month, it made news when Oklahoma's Department of Education issued bid documents for Bibles for every classroom that could only be answered by Trump Bibles, a bid which within the week then was amended, as that would violate state bid laws. Walters has since announced that 500 Bibles have been purchased for AP Gov classes, which I'm sure those students will find not at all useful for their classes.

This week, Walters announced the creation of a new Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism (it's always a tell when the state page features a photo of the head of the department), and then sent a video of his announcing this and then praying for President-elect Trump to every school district in the state, ordering them to show this video in every classroom. The Oklahoman reports that they've counted seven superintendents refusing, and they're backed by the state Attorney General whose spokesman said: 

Not only is this edict unenforceable, it is contrary to parents' rights, local control and individual free-exercise rights

So that's amazing!

Walters, of course, is being sued by teachers and parents seeking to overturn his mandate that the Bible be taught in public school classrooms. He's also been under several rounds of investigation. 

Note: I am sharing this in part because this week, there is a meme going around which compares Massachusetts to Oklahoma in terms of education, voting record, and other things. It is frequently being shared with a sneer.
Knock it off.
The resistance to Walters is coming from IN OKLAHOMA! That's local superintendents facing off against their state department, local parents and teachers suing! This stuff matters a lot.