OPINION: Texas’ Ten Commandments Law Puts Teachers in a Terrible Position

On May 28 of this year, the Texas State Legislature passed Senate Bill 10, which requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. Governor Greg Abbott signed it into law on June 21, and it goes into effect on September 1. Sixteen families (represented by the American Civil Liberties Union) have filed suit to block the law. A hearing is set for Friday, August 15, but for now, it’s the law of the land. As a former classroom teacher of more than a decade and a mom of two school-age children in a suburb of Austin, I wanted to know how teachers are navigating this new directive.

What does the law actually say?

SB 10 states that “a public elementary or secondary school shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments.” The poster also has to meet certain requirements. It must:

• Include only the provided text of the Ten Commandments.
• Be legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom.
• Be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall.

The bill goes on to say that schools that don’t have a poster in each classroom must accept a privately donated one or may use district funds to purchase them. So does that mean you don’t have to put it up unless someone gives it to you? Because it also says each classroom “shall” display it. Ah, intentionally vague laws with questionable enforcement—it’s as Texan as barbecue.

What does this mean for teachers?

It’s unclear, and it seems like teachers themselves are just as confused as the rest of us. I talked to several Texas educators who spoke to me on condition of anonymity. One staff member told me that her Central Texas district is not purchasing posters but will have to put them up if they are donated. Another teacher told me this: “I’m sure it is coming. They will probably just come into our rooms and put them up without asking.” A day later, she heard from her administrator that the district was working to come up with a standard poster. In Frisco ISD, the Ten Commandments are already posted in its more than 4,000 classrooms.

Here are classroom photos from two teachers already required to post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms:

What about the Constitution?

SB 10 puts teachers in a tough spot. According to the Cornell Law School, “The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law ‘respecting an establishment of religion.’ This clause not only forbids the government from establishing an official religion, but also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another.” So teachers have to put up posters that violate the First Amendment in order to follow a state mandate—and it’s the state that issues their licenses.

What about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

We’re taught in our first teacher prep courses that kids quite literally cannot learn when they don’t feel safe and welcome at school. SB 10 goes against a code all educators subscribe to: that everyone belongs at school. One teacher explained it to me this way: “I do not think the Ten Commandments should be posted in classrooms. That could alienate students, staff, and families who are not Christian. A classroom should be a welcoming place for ALL.” 

What’s a Texas teacher to do?

I’ve heard from concerned teachers who are getting really creative—they’re putting up the poster in Hebrew or making it part of a bulletin board that honors multiple religions, for example. But I get that that’s a risk and your license could be on the line. I’m not a lawyer, so I can’t give you legal advice, but what I will tell you is that I would read and decipher the full text of the bill. I also recommend you listen carefully to what your district is saying and follow their lead. Do what you can to signal to students that your classroom is a welcoming one. And just hold tight knowing that you’re not alone. There are people all over Texas and the entire country who understand the difficult position you’re in. We care, we vote, and we’re not going down without a fight.

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