Protect Religious Freedom in Texas!

I am writing to urge you to reconsider and oppose the newly signed Texas law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. While many Texans, myself included, respect the personal and moral values that guide our lives, our public schools must remain neutral on matters of religion to protect the rights and freedoms of all students. Public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars and serve children from every faith tradition—and from no religious tradition at all. By mandating the promotion of one specific religious text, the State risks alienating students from diverse backgrounds, pressuring them to conform to beliefs they may not share, and sending the harmful message that some students’ identities are more valid than others. The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause exists precisely to prevent government from endorsing or favoring any faith. This protection is not anti-religion—it safeguards religious freedom by ensuring that no government body, including a public school, can impose a particular creed on its citizens. When the state crosses this line, it endangers not only the rights of religious minorities and non-religious families, but also the very principles of liberty Texas has always claimed to uphold. Maintaining a strictly secular learning environment isn’t about removing values—it’s about ensuring that every student, regardless of background, can learn in a space where they feel equally welcomed, respected, and free from religious coercion. I urge you to defend our shared constitutional principles and keep religion a matter of personal conscience, not state mandate. The rights of every Texas student depend on it.