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(NewsNation) — Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters defended a arguable video helium required nationalist schoolhouse superintendents to play for students wherever helium prays implicit Republican President-elect Donald Trump, saying Tuesday that helium has "religious beliefs arsenic good that I get the state to express."
In a video to denote the instauration of the Education Department's Office of Religious Freedom and Patriotism, Walters said helium prays "for President Donald Trump and his squad arsenic they proceed to bring astir alteration to the country."
According to a property release, the caller office is meant to “oversee the probe of abuses to idiosyncratic spiritual state oregon displays of patriotism.”
Speaking on "Morning successful America," Walters said helium made it "crystal clear" successful the video that students don't person to commune if they don't privation to.
"We each person the escaped workout of our spiritual beliefs that was indispensable successful the instauration of this country," Walters said. "We're going to support that."
The bureau of authorities Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a connection Friday saying Walters isn't capable to contented a mandate that schools ticker the video.
“Not lone is this edict unenforceable, it is contrary to parents’ rights, section power and idiosyncratic free-exercise rights,” the connection said.
Some schoolhouse districts, including 2 of the state's largest, said they bash not program to amusement the video to students. Walters already faces 2 lawsuits implicit his June mandate that schools incorporate the Bible into acquisition plans for students successful grades 5 done 12.
"Look, each region present voted for President Trump. We privation to person supplication backmost successful school," Walters said. "President Trump won an overwhelming predetermination speaking unapologetically astir getting our schools backmost connected track. Protecting spiritual liberty is perfectly important successful that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
