Oppose Ten Commandment Requirements in Missouri Schools!

I urge you to reject SB 594 (Burger), HB34 (Billington), and SB643 (Hudson), which mandate the display of a government-prescribed version of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. These bills violate constitutional principles, undermine religious inclusivity, and threaten the rights of students and families. First, government-mandated displays of religious texts constitute unlawful endorsement of specific faiths. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Stone v. Graham (1980) that posting the Ten Commandments in schools lacks a secular purpose and serves to promote religion, violating the First Amendment. By requiring schools to display a sacred text central to Judaism and Christianity, the state elevates these faiths above others, alienating students from minority religious or nonreligious backgrounds. Second, these bills conflict with Missouri’s Constitution. Article I, Section 5 prohibits the establishment of any religion, yet SB 594 codifies a religious document, effectively favoring certain theological doctrines. Further, Article I, Section 7 bars public funds from aiding religion. While the bill claims schools need not use funds, it creates ambiguity: If displays are unfunded, schools may ignore the law entirely. If funded, taxpayer money directly supports religious messaging, privileging faiths aligned with the Ten Commandments. Third, the bills coerce a captive audience of students, imposing religious messages that may conflict with their beliefs. Public schools serve diverse communities, and students should not face state-sponsored religious content in their classrooms. This undermines religious freedom by pressuring conformity and fostering exclusion. Additionally, the mandated version distorts religious texts. The legislature’s prescribed wording diverges from recognized translations in Judaism (Exodus 20) and Christianity (Deuteronomy 5), inserting the state into theological debates it is ill-equipped to resolve. Government should not arbitrate religious doctrine. Finally, the Ten Commandments lack relevance to Missouri’s legal framework. American law derives from Enlightenment principles and English Common Law, not biblical codes. Historically, no founding documents—state or federal—required such displays, nor did early colonies enshrine them. These bills risk costly litigation, alienate non-adherents, and erode the neutrality essential to public institutions. I urge you to uphold constitutional integrity and reject SB 594, HB34, and SB643.