The Ten Precepts. Aseret Hadibrot. The 10 Yamas and Niyamas. The Ten Commandments.
These religious texts all uphold strong values. They all serve as cornerstones of morality for their respective groups, and they are all directly linked in their ideology. However, only one has been ordered to be placed on display in Texas public schools.
Introduced on April 8, 2025, Texas Senate Bill 10 requires that “a public elementary or secondary school shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom… a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments.” The only stipulation on the bill is that schools cannot use district funds to purchase these copies; all displays must be the result of private donations.
Last Wednesday, 610 posters of the Ten Commandments were donated to Lake Travis ISD by the Christian nonprofit Texas Values. While this organization claims that Texas should be a state “in which religious liberty flourishes,” its donation legally binds LTISD to display these solely Christian-oriented posters in classrooms.
The Constitution Says…
It’s no secret that the First Amendment protects religious freedom, including the separation of church and state. The Establishment Clause is intended to prevent the federal and state governments (including their public school systems) from espousing one particular religion. Famous legal battles like the Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale have confirmed that public schools cannot legally promote religion, not even “nondenominational” prayer.
Despite these stipulations, states including Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas have continued in their efforts to implement the Ten Commandments in classrooms – an act that seemingly defies the Constitution. In addition to the obvious legal objections of many Americans, this new trend begs the million-dollar moral question: are the Ten Commandments, an inherently Christian set of values, more important than other religious texts?
Teach One, Adopt All
Most people are familiar with the Ten Commandments. Because they are so well known, many people fail to realize that other religions have similar foundational laws. So much so, in fact, that they uphold the same virtues as the Ten Commandments.
For instance, Aseret Hadibrot (literally translated as “The Ten Utterances”) outlines the foundational tenets of Judaism. These statements implore followers of Judaism never to commit murder or unlawful killing. If this law sounds familiar, it might be because it appears in the sixth commandment of the Ten Commandments almost verbatim: “Thou Shalt Not Kill.”
Similarly, the Buddhist faith espouses The Ten Precepts. These restraints include strict avoidance of “sexual misconduct” and adultery, which are the same morals iterated in the seventh commandment of Christianity.
As for Hinduism, some followers abide by the 10 Yamas and Niyamas. This code of ethics prohibits lying, the same sentiment found in the ninth commandment. While Islam does not have a singular list of rules, the Quran instructs on values such as honoring one’s family, which is reflective of the fifth commandment.
It’s clear that these religions all uphold similar values and guide their followers in similar moral directions. Their guidelines are directly related, which further proves that the Ten Commandments do not hold superiority. The separation of church and state prevents there from being a clear reason why Christian texts should be displayed in classrooms at all, let alone more than the texts of any other religion.
In fact, the implementation of the Ten Commandments in classrooms can alienate non-Christian students by making them feel like the religious other. “[School districts] should know that these practices can and do have an extremely negative impact on the well-being of non-Christian students,” said high school student Ayaan Moledina, the Federal Policy Director of Students Engaging in Advancing Texas (SEAT).
Many educators share the sentiment of their frustrated students. “One of our greatest responsibilities is to ensure that we create an inclusive environment for all students,” said an anonymous teacher at Lake Travis High School. “By choosing to display the Ten Commandments, I feel as though we are alienating students of other religions and not abiding by ‘separation of church and state.’”
So, when does it end? Without a clear reason regarding why the Christian doctrine would benefit students more than its extremely similar counterparts in other religions, Texas Values is setting a dangerous precedent for other Texas school districts. With three states already beginning to prioritize a Christian education in their public schools, others are likely to follow.
In a country that was founded on the freedom of religion, displaying the Ten Commandments in schools effectively spits in the eye of the U.S. Constitution.
Taking Action
While LTISD is legally obligated to comply with Senate Bill 10 and display the Ten Commandment donations made by Texas Values, students retain their right to free speech on the matter. “The best thing for students to do right now is show up to school board meetings and share their frustration, urging their school board to uphold the separation of church and state,” shared Moledina. Although the current trend in public education concerns many students, teachers, and families, their voices can still make a difference.
