DALLAS-FORT WORTH, Texas — Before the school year started, teachers in Texas began their typical process of preparing to welcome students back to class. They hung decorations to give their rooms a personal touch, picked out which books they’d have on their shelves and stocked up on supplies.
But there was one new thing they also had to do, thanks to Texas lawmakers: hang a copy of the Ten Commandments where every student in the class could see it.
In late May, the Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 10, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott then signed into law. It said that each public school classroom must display the Ten Commandments, religious directives found in the Hebrew and Christian bibles, in a “conspicuous space” by Sept.1.
The First Amendment contains the Establishment Clause, which states the government cannot sponsor any religion. Despite this, Texas earlier this year joined Louisiana and Arkansas in passing bills that would inject Christianity into public schools by mandating that the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms.
“Why would you post the Ten Commandments?” asked Fred Clarkson, a senior research analyst at Political Research Association who focuses on far-right Christianity. “Because you have a theocratic vision of what should be taught in public schools.”
