Oppose the Mandate to Display the Ten Commandments in Public Schools

I strongly urge you to oppose the proposed bill requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments. This measure is a blatant violation of the separation of church and state, an essential principle that ensures public institutions remain inclusive for all students, regardless of their religious beliefs. Public schools serve diverse communities and should provide a secular education that unites students rather than dividing them along religious lines. Mandating the Ten Commandments in classrooms privileges one religious tradition over others, sending an exclusionary message to students of different faiths or no faith at all. It risks making many feel unwelcome in a space meant for all. Additionally, the bill’s accompanying statements offer a revisionist, one-sided portrayal of religion’s role in public education, lacking support from mainstream historical scholarship. Schools should teach history based on established research—not promote religious doctrine or politically motivated narratives. Rather than imposing religious mandates, lawmakers should support policies that respect religious diversity while maintaining the neutrality of public education. Schools can and should teach about religion objectively within a well-rounded curriculum, but they must not endorse any particular faith. I urge you to reject this bill and uphold the constitutional principles that protect both religious freedom and public education.