Public school students deserve better!

I am writing with deep concern and outrage over recent actions to mandate the display of the Christian Ten Commandments and enforce prayer in Texas public schools. These decisions are in direct violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which clearly establishes the separation of church and state. Public schools are not churches, and our children should not be forced into a specific religious framework while receiving their taxpayer-funded education. Texas is one of the most culturally and religiously diverse states in the nation. Our classrooms include children from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Bahá’í, Indigenous spiritual, Pagan, and nonreligious families, among many others. Forcing one specific religious doctrine upon all students not only undermines the rights of these communities but also disrespects the principles of religious freedom and equality that America was founded on. Mandating the Ten Commandments in classrooms and enforcing prayer is not about protecting children’s rights—it is about advancing Christian nationalism. Families should not be put in the position of having to undo at home what public schools are imposing on their children in violation of constitutional protections. The result will be unnecessary division, shame, and alienation for children whose families do not share the state-sanctioned religion. As for prayer in schools, Texas already has a tradition of protecting the rights of all students. When I was in public schools in the 1980s, every day began with a moment of silence. That time gave children the choice to pray, reflect, or simply breathe. It worked because it was inclusive, voluntary, and respectful of all beliefs. Why, then, is that no longer good enough? Why must the state now impose one religion’s practices on every child? Our children deserve to have their constitutional rights protected regardless of their age. They are citizens, too. By ignoring the First Amendment, Texas leaders are undermining the very freedoms you swore to uphold. I demand that you immediately reverse course and stop pushing unconstitutional religious mandates into our public schools. Protect religious liberty for all Texans, not just for some. The government should never be in the business of picking winners and losers in matters of faith. Stop the march of Christian nationalism and return to the constitutional principles that protect every Texan equally.