A Republican-backed bill making its way through the Ohio Legislature would require schools to display of certain historical documents - and that could include the Ten Commandments.
The Ohio Senate Education Committee has held multiple hearings but hasn’t yet voted on the bill from Sen. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), which would require one of nine historical documents to be displayed in classrooms of public schools. Johnson said the nine documents include the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Northwest Ordinance, Motto of the United States, Motto of the State of Ohio, the Ten Commandments, the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, and Articles of Confederation.
Senate Bill 34 would allow local school boards to decide which documents to display in which rooms.
“In my mind, it has been inexcusable that more focus has not been shown toward these historic texts within the academic arena in our state, denying the vital legal and moral essence that our children need to thrive as good American citizens," Johnson said.
Johnson's legislation is supported by many conservative groups, including those with religious affiliations. The Ten Commandments is included in the list because supporters contend it was a document used by the founders of the United States to serve as a moral compass for the country. Tim Throckmorton of the Family Research Council said, "This boils it down to what our founders looked at as a real focus and of real importance of the founding of our nation."
The Christian Business Partnership, part of Ohio's Christian Chamber of Commerce, has also come out in support of the legislation which has seven Republican co-sponsors.
Opponents say this bill is dangerous
More than a dozen individuals or groups have come out against the bill, including Gary Daniels, the chief lobbyist for the ACLU of Ohio.
"If this bill will result in Ten Commandments displays in all classrooms, in all schools, in some school districts, other schools will surely opt for Ten Commandments monuments on school grounds, purposely situated for students to pass every day as they enter school," Daniels said. "It is an attempt to interject religion into public schools."
Opponents also note some documents like the 19th Amendment, which gave women the vote, or the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for enslaved people, are also important historical documents. But they aren't listed among the nine that districts could choose from.
Rabbi Megan Doherty with the National Council of Jewish Women questioned which version of the Ten Commandments would be displayed, since various faiths have different versions of it. But she said, regardless of which one is chosen, it is still a bad idea. She takes issue with the claim that posting the Ten Commandments honors religion.
"Treating this sacred scripture as just another item up on the wall in the classroom of a secular school, as SB 34 would, demeans and trivializes a text that is holy to many and will inevitably exclude students of minority faiths," Doherty said.
Other states have adopted similar legislation, and a case challenging Louisiana's law is before the U.S. Supreme Court.
