Associate and assistant principals posted copies of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms Aug. 29 after the school board reversed it’s decision to delay enforcement of Senate Bill 10 Aug. 19.
“At the end of the day, it’s the law,” Associate Principal Nicholas Moore said. “Honestly, it’s one of those things where I can imagine it will cause confusion or curiosity or disagreement or but I think that’s sometimes the greatest part about our society: is it okay to disagree.”
SB 10 passed June 20 during the 89th Legislative Session, requires posters or framed copies of the Ten Commandments at least 16 by 20 inches be displayed in a visible location and legible in all K-12 classrooms by Sept.1.
Trustees initially postponed SB 10 enforcement awaiting court decision in Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, a lawsuit from 11 school districts that argue it violates the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the Constitution. On Aug. 20, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sided with the districts and granted a temporary injunction, preventing enforcement in those 11 districts.
“Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught,” Biery wrote in the conclusion of the ruling. “The captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do. …Truly an awkward moment for overworked and underpaid educators.”
According to an article in the Courier Newspaper, State Sen. Steve Toth and an un-named non-profit Republican women’s group donated the posters to Conroe ISD for distribution Aug. 28. Trustee Melissa Semmler, however, said she was only informed of implementation on the day of distribution.
“While the details are lengthy, the central issue is this: schools are caught between conflicting directives from the state and federal courts,” Semmler wrote in a Facebook post. “If we comply with state law and hang the posters, we risk violating the constitutional rights of our families and staff. If we refuse, we risk violating state law. This has placed us in an impossible position.”
Semmler refers to Roake v. Brumly, where the U.S. Federal Appeals Court of The Fifth Circuit unanimously upheld Louisiana House Bill 71 – a near identical bill to SB 10 – as unconstitutional. SB 10 author, State Sen. Phil, King R-Weatherford, announced he would appeal the ruling soon and reaffirmed, school districts outside the injunction must enforce SB 10 by Sept. 1 according to state law.
Junior Amira Azizi, a practicing Sunni Muslim since birth, feels unbothered by the posters but worries imposing them on youth will attack her 11-year-old brother’s faith, which has already been in question due to other students.
“I just feel like it could be kind of misleading and stuff like,” Azizi said. “If you’re going to put the Ten Commandments, put the five pillars of Islam, talk about Jewish people, too. Talk about Hinduism, Buddhism, talk about the other religions. If they’re focusing the students on one religion, when it’s a multi-religion community, it feels like they’re trying to send a message of Christianity.”
Both Semmler and Trustee Marianne Horton said they’re working to schedule a special board meeting addressing implementation and future action while awaiting trial in the federal appeals court.
Government teacher Gary Barlett argues that, while he expects students to hardly notice the posters, implementation feels unconstitutional.
“It will be struck down,” Bartlett said. “The argument could be made, why not something from the Quran, why not something from Hindu, sacred text, or other things like that. The argument can also be made, the First Amendment with the Fourteenth Amendment added in says Congress and the state shall make no law establishing a religion.”
Principal Jeffrey Stichler did not comment on the constitutionality of SB 10, nor did he know where the donated posters came from, only that he must enforce them. Stichler intends to follow board instruction first regardless of court action, adding students have yet to complain to him of the posters.
“So far, I haven’t seen a whole lot of change in the school one way or another,” Stichler said.
