Thread by @jamestalarico

Texas Republicans are trying to force public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

I told the bill author: “This bill is not only un-constitutional and un-American, it’s deeply un-Christian.” #txlege

The bill author says she’s a champion of “parental rights.” So I asked her if state-sponsored religious indoctrination violates the rights of parents.

This was her response.

Would you be comfortable with adding language to receive parental consent from all the students and parents in the classroom before putting it up?”

“I don’t always think the Legislature obeys the Ten Commandments.

I want to walk through just a couple…”

“The 2nd Commandment is meant to prevent the creation of idols.

The idea is that some people would try to make an object—maybe 2 tablets—to worship rather than worshiping the God behind those two tablets.

Are you worried that this bill is idolatrous?”

“Would you be open to an amendment to the bill saying that if a member of the Legislature violates these Commandments, we can no longer mandate public school teachers put it in classrooms?”

“If our First Amendment is forbidding the state from establishing a state religion, then mandating that one tradition be elevated above the rest would be a violation of the First Amendment.”

“This gives us religious people a bad name.

Instead of living out the way of Jesus, we’re imposing our beliefs on other people.

Instead of leading by example, we’re leading by mandates.

I find this to be a deeply offensive bill.”

“Did you swear to uphold the Ten Commandments in your oath of office?”

“Do you believe schools are for education, not indoctrination?

Why is having a rainbow in a classroom considered indoctrination, but the Ten Commandments is not?”

“How do you think it makes a Hindu student feel to have a poster in every classroom that says ‘thou shall not worship any God before me’?”