The FFRF Action Fund names Tenn. state Rep. Michael Hale as its “Theocrat of the Week” for leading legislation to post the Ten Commandments in the state’s public schools.
House Bill 47 would allow Tennessee’s public schools to display the Ten Commandments alongside the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The bill passed the Republican-led House in a 75-17 vote last week and is now headed to the Tennessee Senate.
Hale’s bill doesn’t outright require all schools to display the Ten Commandments or historically significant founding documents, but it does provide school boards the option to do so. “Local school leaders know their communities and classrooms best, and this bill gives them the autonomy to decide whether to acknowledge and display these documents for educational purposes, while ensuring they have legal protection if they do,” Hale said.
Hale has argued that the bill, which enables religious doctrine to be displayed in public school classrooms, “aligns with the principles we have.” As evidence, he cited the Declaration of Independence’s references to God and the Pledge of Allegiance’s inclusion of “under God.” Notably, the Declaration of Independence’s references to “Nature’s God,” “Creator,” and “Divine Providence” do not endorse Christianity. Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration’s author, was a Deist and was opposed to orthodox Christianity and the supernatural. And the “under God” phrase was added to the pledge during the Red Scare McCarthy era as a display of piousness.
While defending his bill, Hale absurdly argued that students could refuse to look at the Ten Commandments when they walked by the sectarian displays. Under that argument, students would also be ignoring documents such as the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. To preserve the rights of all students, regardless of their religion or nonreligion, the Ten Commandments, whichever version schools would be permitted to use, should not be included in displays honoring historically significant founding documents.
Legislation authorizing the posting of religious doctrine in secular public schools violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” Students who do not ascribe to Christianity should not feel out of place because of religious displays in their secular public school.
FFRF Action Fund urges the Tennessee Legislature to reject Hale’s unconstitutional bill and to keep religious dogma out of its public schools. Hale is doing his state a huge disservice through his theocratic efforts.
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.