After first being received by the Secretary of the Senate in February, the Senate Bill No. 10 went into effect Sept. 1. The new law requires all Texas Independent School Districts to display the Ten Commandments in all public elementary and secondary school classrooms.
“Here at Richland High School, we always talk (about how) our big motto is we want to create champions, and the big tenet of that is making sure that everybody feels safe and welcome here,” Assistant Principal Kymberly Rodriguez said. “So above all else, it’s important to us that everyone feels included here on campus, regardless of what posters we may have up in the school, whatever law, we want to make sure that everyone feels like they belong to Raider Nation.”
The law was passed by the Texas Legislature with a vote of 82-46 from the House and 21-10 from the Senate. On Aug. 25, Attorney General Ken Paxton released a press release instructing Texas schools to abide by Texas law.
“From the beginning, the Ten Commandments have been irrevocably intertwined with America’s legal, moral, and historical heritage,” Paxton said. “Schools not enjoined by ongoing litigation must abide by S.B. 10 and display the Ten Commandments.”
The ongoing litigation his statement is referring to is a set of lawsuits filed by activists arguing that not all districts have to abide by the law, as it violates the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the 1st Amendment. Those districts include Alamo Heights, North East, Austin, Cypress Fairbanks, Lackland, Lake Travis, Fort Bend, Houston, Dripping Springs, Plano, and Northside ISDs.
“Well, for me, because I’m a Catholic and a Christian, I view (the law) as a positive thing,” junior Ava Lundy said. “But I can see how it can offend other people’s religion, because people believe different things and have different thoughts on different religious groups.”
Despite varying views, the Texas State Legislature has not repealed the law – only an injunction or “timeout” for districts being sued. These districts weren’t required to abide by the law when it went into effect last month.
“We are school entities, so we’ll follow the law,” Rodriguez said. “We have to follow Texas law. As always, we are always open and accepting of any and all parent feedback and student feedback. So we (will) definitely meet with those families and those students or anybody in the community who has any questions or concerns.”
After the passing of the bill, discussions about the separation between church and state arose.
“I think it kind of blurs (the line), because, you know, in America, we’re supposed to have separation of the church and state, and recently, especially with this, that line has been blurred, and I feel like it definitely goes against this freedom of religion that we’re supposed to have, especially in a public school,” sophomore Bree Smith said. “There’s so many people, so many different backgrounds and religions and ethnicities here, and it just feels weird to generalize everyone.”
The law does make clear that districts are not required to use district funds to purchase posters of the Ten Commandments. However, they must accept donated ones as long as they meet the poster requirements. Prosper ISD acquired its posters from donations.
“It feels inconsiderate of students of every other religion, because, you know, while Christianity is a majority religion, not everyone is a Christian,” Smith said. “I feel like if I was somebody in a different religion, I would be, a little bit offended, if that makes sense. ”
The poster requirements are the following: at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, include only the text of the Ten Commandments provided in the law, and be in a size and typeface that is legible and easily readable from anywhere in the classroom.
“I don’t really think it affects students’ learning too much,” Lundy said. “But I think it’s a good thing that students can like, look back and refer to, to remind themselves of, like, important values they should hold in their life.”
Paxton has appealed the injunction declared by a federal district court judge in response to the litigation. No hearings have been scheduled yet regarding the 11 districts affected by the lawsuit.
“We know that as the state legislature meets, new laws are enacted every year, but our main goal, number one, is to make sure that we are creating a safe and supportive educational climate where all students will (feel) welcome,” Rodriguez said. “So to me, as an educator and as an administrator here at Richland High School, and I know that I can speak for all the principals here at Richland High School, that is our number one: making sure that everyone feels like they belong, at Raider Nation and that when they come to school here they feel apart of our school culture and community.”
