NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new bill filed in Tennessee and loosely modeled after a Louisiana law currently facing a legal battle would require schools to display the Ten Commandments, a portion of the Declaration of Independence, and the preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
Senate Bill 151, sponsored by Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) would require the documents to be displayed together in a “prominent area” of the school, including an entryway, the cafeteria, or other common area where students are likely to see them.
The goal is to “educate students on the significance of the Ten Commandments to the principles and ideals of the United States of America, as established in its founding documents,” according to the bill.
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“We did one that said, ‘In God We Trust’ that had to be in all the schools; that had to be paid for with donations, so we’re filing one the same way,” Sen. Pody said.
Pody told News 2 that organizations would be encouraged to donate money for the documents or the documents themselves to the schools, so the legislation wouldn’t cost the state any money.
However, some argue the bill would cost school districts in court if it passed.
“If you make it a requirement, you are going to draw a lawsuit,” said J.C. Bowman, the executive director and CEO of Professional Educators of Tennessee.
Bowman told News 2 he is not against the Ten Commandments, however, in 1980 the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that they are “plainly religious in nature,” and displaying them in schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment after Kentucky passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
“Whether I agree with it or not, it is the current law, and I don’t like public schools being used in Tennessee to try a case that could be drawn out and cost taxpayer money,” Bowman said.
Last year, Louisiana passed a similar law requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms, which was set to go into effect Jan. 2025 before a federal judge overturned it last Nov. The state argued the Ten Commandments hold a historical significance to the foundation of U.S. law. A federal appeals judge is expected to hear arguments on the case Thursday.
Sen. Pody told News 2 his bill is “almost going to piggyback off of Louisiana[‘s bill].”
Bowman said states could be trying to “poke the bear” now that the Supreme Court has swung more conservative.
“We know they challenge laws on a periodic basis to see if the Supreme Court will eventually overturn something. Maybe that’s the case here and the intent,” Bowman said. “If that’s the case, we don’t want to be guinea pigs, and I know no district wants to go in and say, ‘Okay, we’re required to do it,’ and all of a sudden we’ve got a lawsuit.”
Bowman suggests lawmakers could consider a bill to add “foundational documents,” which could include the Ten Commandments, to Tennessee’s social studies standards instead, which were just approved last year.
“That would be the appropriate placement for that if he felt like that should be included,” Bowman said.
The bill still needs a House sponsor. It was introduced and passed on first consideration in the Senate last week.
News 2 previously reported on another TN bill that would allow schools to post the Ten Commandments along with other historical documents. That bill still needs a Senate sponsor.
