Ryan Walters Turns 2nd Grade Story Time Into Christian Prayer Session…

In case you forgot, Oklahoma State Public School Superintendent Ryan Walters is still a maniacal piece of shit. 

Yesterday afternoon, he took his beat-up SUV to the Riverside Public School District in and around El Reno to read a book to a group of second graders, and then, as their teacher complacently watched, lead them in Christian prayer. 

If you’re a fan of the long-held separation of church and state – or think using school children as political pawns in an effort to outrage sane people and pander to evangelical voters is gross – grab a barf bag and watch this:

Yeah, that’s not a surprise. Whether it’s second-grade storytime or his high school yearbook quote, Ryan loves to remind people he’s a bonafide DC Talk Jesus Freak. 

As far as forced ritualistic prayer activities go, Ryan's prayer was kind of tame. 

I think my favorite part was where he asked the children – all of whom I assume follow international geopolitical news – to pray for the State of Israel, because you know, a colonizing nation that’s killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in response to its own failed effort to protect its own innocent civilians, definitely deserves the prayers from seven and eight-year-olds located 7,000 miles away.  

Seriously, does this guy not know how to read a classroom? 

These are second graders – not 700 Club viewers. Pray for something that will resonate with them, like getting a new puppy or a giant chocolate bunny for Easter, or as KFOR once called it, Zombie Jesus Day. 

For what it’s worth, I should clarify that I don’t know the context behind this publicity stunt.

Obviously, we know Ryan did all this in a contrived attempt to generate outrage and negative social media attention, which will in turn give him something to cite when playing up his “Battle Against State-Sponsored Atheism” narrative or whatever, but the details surrounding the forced prayer are still a mystery.

For example, was the prayer held during normal school hours, or early in the morning before school started when voluntary religious ceremonies are allowed? Were the teacher and the students' parents in on the stunt, or were they as surprised as everyone that their classroom was suddenly flipped into Vacation Bible School?

I would try to dig into that, but honestly, the answer doesn’t really matter.

Whether it was Ryan going rogue or a coordinated plan where parents had to sign a Prayer Participation Permission Slip, the kids stuck in the circle – especially the one up front looking around at his peers wondering “WTF?!” – are the real victims here.

I pray they’re able to not only overcome the forced indoctrination of their youth, but the continued destruction of Oklahoma public schools under Ryan Walters, and grow into free-thinking humans who can make their own choices regarding faiths, religious beliefs, and indoctrination story time.

Amen.