Keep the Ten Commandments out of Hays CISD

My child attends a public school in the Hays Consolidate Independent School District in Texas, where every student should have access to a quality education that is equal and non-discriminatory.  S.B.10 mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, which infringes on my First Amendment rights as a U.S. citizen, discriminates against our diverse student and teacher population, and serves to distract from providing our children with quality education. 

This is not the first attempt by lawmakers to require the Ten Commandments be posted in public schools, and in every previous case, the judicial system has ruled that a mandatory display of the Ten Commandments is in violation of our First Amendment rights, which protects our rights to religious freedom. This bill’s mandatory display of the states preferred religious doctrine in our public schools is in violation of this founding right. Upholding the constitutional separation of church and state is essential to maintaining religious freedom and neutrality in our public institutions.

Public schools serve a wide array of faiths and beliefs, and forcing the display of religious texts in educational environments is discriminatory. Not only is S.B.10 unconstitutional, it is also in opposition to the spirit of inclusivity and education for all that is a pinnacle of public education.  Public school should be a place where students unite over common knowledge and shared experiences, and are not divided by religious mandates. 

As of the date of this petition, S.B. 10 is being challenged in court in the case of Rabbi Nathan vs. Alamo Heights Independent School District. While the outcome of this case is being considered, we ask that our school district postpone implementing S.B.10, and reconsider its impact on our education system and our students.