If you’ve spent any time on social media or watching the news lately, you’ve probably seen the name Ryan Walters popping up. A lot. Specifically, everyone seems to be talking about the Ryan Walters prayer video. It wasn't just a casual "thoughts and prayers" post on X. It was a formal directive sent from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) that essentially ordered every public school superintendent in the state to play a video of Walters praying for President-elect Donald Trump.
Naturally, things got messy. Fast.
To understand why this blew up, you have to look at the content. In the video, Walters sits in front of an American flag and a Bible. He starts by blasting the "radical left" and "woke teachers' unions," claiming they are attacking religious liberty. Then, he bows his head and prays. He specifically asks for guidance for Donald Trump and his incoming administration. He then told schools they must show this to students and email it to parents.
The Mandate That Wasn't Really a Mandate
Here is the kicker: Walters told schools it was a "mandatory announcement." But in the world of school law, saying something is mandatory doesn't always make it so.
Oklahoma is a "local control" state. This basically means that while the State Superintendent has a lot of influence, the actual power to decide what happens in a classroom on a Tuesday morning usually sits with the local school board and the district superintendent.
Almost immediately after the email hit inboxes in November 2024, the pushback started. Big districts like Tulsa, Bixby, Jenks, and Mustang didn't just hesitate; they flat-out said no. Mustang Public Schools Superintendent Charles Bradley was pretty blunt about it, noting they had "no plans to interrupt the instructional day" for the video and, more importantly, no legal requirement to do so.
Why the Attorney General Got Involved
It’s not often you see a state’s top education official and the state’s Attorney General publicly feuding, but that’s exactly what happened here. AG Gentner Drummond’s office didn't hold back. They released a statement clarifying that Walters doesn't actually have the statutory authority to force students to watch a specific video—especially one that leans so heavily into religious and political territory.
👉 See also: Why are US flags at half staff today and who actually makes that call?
The AG’s office basically called the move unenforceable. They argued it trampled on parents' rights and the idea of local control.
What Was Actually in the Video?
If you haven't seen the clip, it’s about ninety seconds of Walters speaking directly to the camera. It’s framed as an introduction to his new "Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism."
He makes a few key points:
- He claims religious liberty is under fire in Oklahoma schools.
- He tells students they don't have to pray along, but he invites them to if they want.
- He prays for the nation to "return to its roots."
- He specifically mentions Trump’s team "bringing change" to the country.
The imagery was intentional. Next to him sat a mug with the Latin phrase Si vis pacem, para bellum—"If you want peace, prepare for war." It wasn't exactly a "Kumbaya" moment. It felt like a political rally squeezed into a 1:1 aspect ratio.
The Legal Firestorm and E-E-A-T Concerns
From a legal standpoint, this is a nightmare for school districts. Groups like the ACLU of Oklahoma and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) were all over this within hours. They argued that forcing kids to watch a government official lead a prayer violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Think about it from a teacher's perspective. You're trying to get through a 10th-grade geometry lesson, and suddenly you're told to play a video of your boss’s boss praying for a specific politician. If a student walks out, do you discipline them? If a parent sues, who pays the legal fees?
✨ Don't miss: Elecciones en Honduras 2025: ¿Quién va ganando realmente según los últimos datos?
Walters has doubled down, though. He’s appeared on national news outlets like NewsNation, arguing that he’s just exercising his own religious freedom. He’s also filed his own lawsuits, specifically targeting the FFRF, calling them "out-of-state atheists" trying to bully Oklahoma kids.
It’s Part of a Much Bigger Plan
The Ryan Walters prayer video didn't happen in a vacuum. It’s part of a string of controversial moves Walters has made since taking office.
- The Bible Mandate: He previously ordered all Oklahoma schools to have a Bible in every classroom (specifically grades 5-12) and to incorporate it into the curriculum.
- The "Trump Bible" Controversy: There was a whole saga involving a state contract for Bibles that seemed to specifically match the specifications of the "God Bless the USA" Bible endorsed by Donald Trump, which retails for around $60.
- Social Studies Standards: He’s been pushing for a total overhaul of how history is taught, emphasizing American exceptionalism and religious heritage.
Honestly, many political analysts see this as a high-stakes audition. By aligning himself so closely with Trump's "America First" agenda, Walters has made himself a household name in conservative circles nationwide. Whether it's about education or his next job remains a hot topic of debate in Oklahoma City.
What This Means for Parents and Students
So, what actually happened on the ground? In most of the state’s largest districts, nothing changed. The video wasn't shown. Students went to gym class and took their math quizzes as usual.
However, in some smaller, more rural districts, the situation was different. Some administrators felt pressured to comply, while others were happy to support the Superintendent’s vision. This created a weird, fractured landscape where a student’s "mandatory" experience depended entirely on which zip code they lived in.
Actionable Insights for Oklahomans
If you're a parent or student dealing with these shifts in the school system, here’s the reality of where things stand:
🔗 Read more: Trump Approval Rating State Map: Why the Red-Blue Divide is Moving
Know Your Rights: The Oklahoma Attorney General has explicitly stated that these "mandates" are not legally binding on local districts. Your local school board still holds the keys to the classroom.
The Opt-Out Rule: Under the Oklahoma Parents' Bill of Rights, you generally have the right to opt your child out of activities that violate your sincerely held beliefs. If a school does show a video like this, you can formally request that your child be given an alternative setting.
Watch the Courts: This isn't over. Several lawsuits are working their way through the system. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has already struck down some of Walters' other initiatives, like his social studies standards changes, based on procedural errors. The prayer video will likely face a similar judicial reckoning.
Communicate with the Board: If you feel strongly about this—either for or against—the most effective place to speak is at your local school board meeting. That’s where the actual decisions about showing the Ryan Walters prayer video were made.
The bottom line is that the "mandatory" nature of the video was more of a suggestion backed by a loud microphone. While it generated millions of views and sparked a national conversation, it mostly served to highlight the deep divide between the state education department and the people actually running the schools.
To stay informed, keep an eye on the official OSDE website for new "Emergency Rules," but always cross-reference them with the Attorney General’s opinions. Those two offices are currently the most important checks and balances in Oklahoma's education system.
Key Sources for Further Reading
- Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Press Office: For official legal opinions on OSDE authority.
- KOSU and StateImpact Oklahoma: For deep-dive reporting on rural vs. urban district responses.
- The ACLU of Oklahoma: For updates on the First Amendment lawsuits regarding school prayer.