Oklahoma will rescind a mandate to put Bibles in every public school classroom, the state’s new superintendent said this week, a sign that the state is moving away from some of the most contentious policies under its previous superintendent, Ryan Walters.

The new superintendent, Lindel Fields, said he had “no plans” to distribute Bibles or enforce the mandate, which would have required teachers across the state to teach from the Bible.

The Bible mandate was a signature initiative of Walters, a conservative known for his focus on culture war issues in education. But his aggressive style also left him at odds with the state’s Republican governor and other leaders in Oklahoma. He resigned late last month to lead a nonprofit focused on fighting the influence of teachers unions.

The Bible ma

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