- Texas Republican lawmakers are pushing bills to display the Ten Commandments in public schools and set aside time for daily prayer. The bills face opposition that they violate the Constitution.
- Louisiana recently became the first state to require the Ten Commandments in schools.
- Lawmakers in other states, including Georgia, Kentucky, South Dakota and Ohio, have proposed similar bills.
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Texas Republican lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at bringing religious principles into public school classrooms. The legislation has the backing of Dan Patrick, lieutenant governor, who urges these bills to take priority and pushes for them to pass before the legislative session ends.
New bill to display Ten Commandments, daily prayer
Republican state Sen. Phil King has introduced a bill to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in public schools across Texas. The Christian biblical principles would be printed on posters for students to read and see. King argues the wording is not limited to one religion but reflects the foundational values upon which America was built.
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When announcing the bill’s introduction on Monday, Feb. 10, he said, “If our students don’t know the Ten Commandments, they will never understand the foundation for much of American history and law.”
Building on this effort, GOP state Sen. Mayes Middleton introduced a bill to encourage school districts to set aside time for daily prayer and Bible reading. The bill states both students and staff would be allowed to participate, with the addition of parental consent.
Opposition to proposals
A Texas-based advocacy group, the Texas Freedom Network, argues that these bills, if passed, would violate the Constitution. They contend the legislation favors one religion over others, which the government isn’t allowed to do.
Louisiana passes a similar bill with similar legislation
These bills are not new. Both were introduced during previous legislative sessions but failed to pass. Louisiana, however, recently adopted similar legislation, making it the first state to require the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools and colleges.
Lawmakers in Georgia, Kentucky, South Dakota and Ohio have also introduced similar bills. Some are pushing to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments, while others would allow districts to choose which historical documents to display. In South Dakota, lawmakers rejected the mandate over concerns about how the government would enforce the bill.
