Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, is at the center of a national debate over religion in public schools.

A staunch conservative and outspoken Christian, Walters has pushed for policies that blur the lines between church and state, including placing Bibles in schools and approving the nation’s first religious virtual public charter school—now facing a Supreme Court challenge.

The case highlights tensions between the First Amendment’s free exercise and establishment clauses, with the court’s conservative majority leaning toward expanding religious rights.

While Walters argues for greater religious expression in schools, opponents, including Oklahoma’s Attorney General, warn of government-sponsored religious indoctrination, NBC News has reported.

The outcome could reshape the role of religion in American education.

Written by B.C. Begley