Oklahoma's State Superintendent Ryan Walters has ordered public schools to incorporate lessons from the Bible into classes for grades 5 through 12. Walters says the Bible is an "indispensable historical and cultural touchstone" and that students need basic knowledge of it to understand the foundation of the US properly. The order requires "immediate and strict compliance" from all school districts in Oklahoma. The order is part of broader conservative efforts nationwide to influence education on issues of race, gender, and sexuality.