CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Some Kentucky lawmakers are renewing efforts to display the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, a move similar to one in the 1970s that was struck down by the courts.
State Rep. Josh Calloway, a Republican from Irvington, is spearheading the initiative, arguing that the Ten Commandments are integral to the nation’s history.
“It’s a piece of our history all the way back to the founding of our country,” Calloway said. “I felt it was important to keep it out there and keep it in our society and make sure our children understand these were the principles our nations were founded upon.”
Under Calloway’s proposal, each school would decide where to place the document, which would measure at least 16 inches by 20 inches and be posted in a conspicuous area. The costs would be covered by donations, not state tax dollars.
“I’m sure there will be people that would say we can’t use state tax dollars to fund this, so we’d look for donors willing to pay to get this done,” Calloway said.
However, the proposal has drawn criticism from some groups.
“Posting the Ten Commandments in public schools fundamentally violates people’s religious freedoms,” said Corey Shapiro, legal director for the ACLU in Kentucky. “The idea now that Kentucky students should be forced to have religious scripture as a condition of getting a public education is just a bad idea.”
The United States Supreme Court ruled in 1980 that a similar law violated the First Amendment. Despite this, Calloway cited a similar law in Louisiana, currently being challenged in court, as motivation for the renewed effort.
“These are foundational principles, historically speaking, that this nation was built upon; it’s undeniable, it’s irrefutable,” Calloway said.
Calloway also noted that his bill has nearly a dozen co-sponsors.
Shapiro contended that public schools should not impose specific religious views on students.
“Trying to impose specific religious views on kids is improper,” Shapiro said. “We should be celebrating all of the various religions by providing them to do it in private, and it shouldn’t be done in the public schools.”