Key Texas lawmakers say they intend to pass a law requiring public schools to display Ten Commandments In the classroom. The move would add some big-state momentum to a trend started last year by Louisiana, where the law was blocked in court but other states are considering similar proposals.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, signaled the move after the Louisiana law passed last year. He said Texas should be the first state in the nation to adopt the policy, which he vowed would be adopted by 2025. He has listed it as one of the top priorities for conservatives. The state's legislative session begins this month and is expected to end in June.

A federal judge in Louisiana calls that state's version of the law "Explicitly religious" It was unconstitutional to block it in November. The case is on appeal, and Republican attorneys general from 18 states have joined in support.

Supporters say history is at stake

Supporters in Texas, like other states, argue that the commandments are a historical document.

"Honestly, if you don't understand the Ten Commandments, you don't really understand the foundation of American history and law. It played such an important role in the founding of our country and our founders," said State Senator Phil. King, a Republican from outside Fort Worth, will help lead the effort in Texas. "In fact, few documents have had a greater impact on America and Western civilization as a whole than the Ten Commandments."

Republican state Sen. Brandon Creighton, who represents a district near Houston and chairs the Education Committee, also wants the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

"We cannot hinder or impede our society's teaching of national pride, fundamental principles and morals because someone, some way, some way is offended," Creighton said in an interview. He added, These commandments are "just principles to encourage people." Don't lie to each other or shame your parents. "

The Legislature is also poised to consider several other bills that would bring religious displays or events into government settings. These include requirements nativity scene Held every December at the Texas Capitol and asking schools to set aside time prayer or bible study.

Following Louisiana last year, lawmakers in other states including North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee introduced Ten Commandments bills to their respective legislatures this year. This trend follows a 2022 Supreme Court decision on washington state high school Football coach praying on the field.

Since then, states have been challenging what Robert Tuttle, a law professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., calls the norm in church and state.

“What we’re seeing is an effort to expand the scope of religious rule — not religious freedom, but religious rule — in government spaces. That’s very difficult to square with a long-standing tradition of separation,” Tuttle said.

Opponents say Ten Commandments law would impose religion on people

One person pushing back against the trend in Texas is state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat who represents a district in suburban Austin. Talarico is currently a seminary student and has taught in San Antonio Public Schools.

"On my first day in office, I put my hand on the Bible and I swore an oath to the Constitution, not the other way around," Talarico said. “I think if Jesus read some of these bills, he would remind us to treat Jewish students, Muslim students, Buddhist students, Hindu students, atheist students as ourselves, but that’s not the purpose of this legislation.”

In 2023, the Ten Commandments bill passed the Texas Senate but died in the House, in part because of some Republicans who agreed with Talarico. But the Texas House moved further to the right in the last election. Steven T. Collis, who teaches religious law at the University of Texas at Austin, outlines the competing views.

“Those who oppose observance of the Ten Commandments in schools see this as an effort to inject Christianity into public schools,” Corliss said. "Those who advocate posting the Ten Commandments would argue that the idea that public schools can be neutral is a myth and that what public schools are actually doing is secularizing children and removing from their education any role that Christianity plays in a child's development. Concept. Western Culture.”

While the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is considering Louisiana's law, Texas backers say they are determined to move forward.

"I think the 5th Circuit will rule firmly in favor of Louisiana and ultimately in favor of what Texas is trying to do," King said.