Texas is moving forward with the nation’s largest effort to require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. The new law is sparking strong reactions from teachers, parents, and students – and is also facing some significant legal pushback. One former Fort Worth teacher, Gigi Cervantes, says the law influenced her decision to quit. “I don’t know if there’s a place for me in the school system right now as it stands and as it’s in the direction that it’s been heading,” she said. Cervantes, who taught theatre, added that her “religion and spiritual choices” are personal and should not be imposed on others. The law requires schools to hang the Ten Commandments if the displays are donated and put “in a conspicuous place,” with text large enough to be easily read from anywhere in the classroom. Some Texans have eagerly stepped in to provide the required posters. Lorne Liechty and his family donated them to the Rockwall Independent School District near Dallas. Liechty says he remembers growing up with the Ten Commandments posted in classrooms and with teachers starting the day in prayer.
“We’re not forcing anyone to follow any specific set of rules,” he said. “These are great guidelines for living—great historical guidelines for our nation and how we developed.” Reactions from school districts across Texas have varied widely. In the Frisco Independent School District, north of Dallas, officials didn’t wait for donations; they spent about $1,800 to print nearly 5,000 posters themselves. Other districts, including Galveston, are waiting for the courts to decide the law’s constitutionality before taking action. Legal challenges are mounting quickly. This week, a federal judge ruled that the law violates First Amendment protections for religious liberty and the prohibition against government establishment of religion. So far, federal courts have ordered more than two dozen of Texas’ roughly 1,200 school districts not to hang the posters. Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced lawsuits against two districts he says are failing to comply with the law. Texas’ laws are widely expected to make their way to the U.S. Supreme Court for adjudication.
Source: CBNNews