A South Dakota committee has approved a bill mandating the display and teaching of the Ten Commandments in public schools
The bill would mean that every classroom has to have a poster of the Ten Commandments. They want it to be in a readable font, too. Plus, it would take away the option for local school boards to decide whether or not to display them.
Students would also have to learn about the Ten Commandments in history and civics classes at least three times during their school years. They’d cover it in elementary, middle, and high school. The bill aims to present the commandments as a historical document that has influenced Western culture.
Sen. John Carley, a freshman lawmaker, is the one who introduced this bill. He mentioned that early American textbooks often included the Ten Commandments. He believes they’ve played a huge role in shaping laws and culture in the U.S.
Supporters like Elijah O’Neal from a Texas museum also spoke up for the bill, saying the commandments offer timeless moral guidance. But not everyone is on board. Groups like the South Dakota School Administrators Association and the ACLU raised concerns, arguing that this could violate the First Amendment.
They worry that teaching the Ten Commandments as a basis for laws could infringe on religious freedom. Some lawmakers, including Sen. Jamie Smith, pointed out that there are different versions of the commandments and questioned the need for a statewide mandate when schools can already choose to display them.
The bill is now headed to the full state Senate for further discussion. It’s definitely a hot topic, and it’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds.
