TX lawmakers want Ten Commandments on display, prayer in schools

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Jake Larsen (Video Editor )

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.

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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.

Tags: Bible, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Republicans, School districts, schools, South Dakota, Texas

[Lauren Taylor]

TEXAS GOP LAWMAKERS ARE USING LEGISLATURE TO PUT RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES INSIDE CLASSROOMS.

AND THEY HAVE THE BACKING OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WHO WANTS THEM TO TAKE PRIORITY TO GET PASSED BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR PHIL KING INTRODUCED A NEW BILL TO PUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ON DISPLAY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN TEXAS.

THE CHRISTIAN BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES WOULD BE PRINTED ON POSTERS FOR STUDENTS TO READ.

KING CLAIMS THE WORDING ISN’T JUST ABOUT ONE RELIGION—RATHER, IT REFLECTS THE VALUES UPON WHICH AMERICA WAS BUILT.

HE SAYS, “If our students don’t know the Ten Commandments, they will never understand the foundation for much of American history and law.”

KING POINTS TO A 2022 SUPREME COURT RULING THAT ALLOWED A WASHINGTON FOOTBALL COACH TO PRAY WITH HIS TEAM, AFTER THE DISTRICT TRIED TO STOP HIM. THE COURT RULED THAT HIS RIGHT TO EXERCISE HIS RELIGION WAS BEING VIOLATED.

BUILDING ON THAT LOGIC, GOP SENATOR MAYES MIDDLETON WANTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SET ASIDE TIME FOR DAILY PRAYER AND BIBLE READING.

THE BILL STATES POLICY WILL ALLOW STUDENTS AND STAFF TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE ADDITION OF PARENTAL CONSENT.

A TEXAS-BASED ADVOCACY GROUP, THE TEXAS FREEDOM NETWORK, ARGUES IF THESE BILLS PASS, THEY’LL VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION. THEY CLAIM THE LEGISLATION FAVORS ONE RELIGION OVER OTHERS.

THESE PAIR OF BILLS AREN’T NEW TOPICS–BOTH WERE INTRODUCED DURING PREVIOUS SESSIONS BUT DIDN’T MAKE IT OUT WITH A PASSING VOTE.

LOUISIANA ADOPTED SIMILAR LEGISLATURE–PUTTING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN SCHOOLS THIS YEAR FOLLOWING SEVERAL LEGAL BATTLES, OFFICIALLY BECOMING THE FIRST STATE TO MAKE THE ADDITION.

GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, SOUTH DAKOTA AND OHIO LAWMAKERS INTRODUCED SIMILAR BILLS SOME WANTING TO REQUIRE TEN COMMANDMENTS OR ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO CHOOSE WHICH HISTORICAL DOCUMENT IS SHOWCASED.

IN SOUTH DAKOTA LAWMAKERS REJECTED THE MANDATE WITH CONCERNS ON HOW THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ENFORCE THE BILL.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR

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Bias Comparison

Media outlets on the left highlight the concision of GOP lawmakers introducing religious bills, emphasizing a partisan motive behind promoting religious teachings in schools.

Media outlets on the right emphasize the reintroduction of the Ten Commandments bill, presenting it without explicitly framing it as a partisan issue.

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