Public school history assignment asking if God is real sparks controversy

SKIATOOK, Okla. (KJRH) – An Oklahoma school district is under scrutiny after a parent posted a photo of one of her daughter’s assignments that asked for opinions about religion.

The research paper prompted students to answer questions such as, “Is God real?”

Olivia Gray made the post, which has now been shared a couple hundred times.

She called the world history assignment from Skiatook High School an overall disappointment.

“I fear for the kids here [at the school] who belong to a different faith,” Gray said.

However, Gray said she wasn’t surprised to see this happen, especially after recent controversies about religion in public schools.

Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said the Bible “will absolutely be discussed, it will be taught in the classroom.”

Gray said she didn’t realize the religious instruction would be so blatant.

“I didn’t know it was gonna happen this fast, and I didn’t know it would be that in-your-face. I thought it would be a little sneakier,” Gray said.

Gray was first made aware of the assignment when her daughter Nettie, a sophomore at the high school, brought it up.

Not only did Nettie find the assignment confusing, but she also said she was afraid to even answer the questions for fear of retaliation.

“Like if I didn’t give the answer he [the teacher] wanted to hear, I’m like, he might give me a lower grade,” Nettie said.

Nettie said her friends who have different world history teachers weren’t given that assignment.

Nettie’s older sister Olivia Ramirez, a graduate of Skiatook High School, said it was out of line.

“When you get to questions like, ‘Is God real?’ ‘Is Satan real?’ I don’t even know how I would’ve answered that at that age, let alone try to cite that and find sources for a paper I was going to be graded on,” Ramirez said.

Skiatook High School’s communications director has not returned requests for comment.

However, the district has released a statement saying it became aware of the assignment through social media.

Administrators determined the presentation of the material was not conducive to its instructional plan.

The statement went on to say that administration and staff will continue to collaborate on best practices to meet Oklahoma’s academic standards.

Copyright 2024 KJRH via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.