ACLU queries Tennessee school districts on Ten Commandments

A group led by the American Civil Liberties Union is seeking information from five Tennessee school districts about their plans to post the Ten Commandments after a new state law allowed the Bible document to go up in school buildings’ “prominent” locations.

The ACLU of Tennessee, ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent letters Thursday requesting public records from school districts that are planning to put the Ten Commandments in school buildings. The letters went to the Blount County School District, Rutherford County Schools, Washington County Schools, White County Schools and Wilson County Schools, whose school boards authorized the posting.

The letters request all school district emails and other communications, including school board documents, dealing with the display of the Ten Commandments, in addition to proposed or approved designs for the displays.

The groups issued a statement saying, “Forcing biblical scripture on public-school children violates families’ religious freedom. Families and faith communities, not the government, get to decide what role religious doctrine and belief play in their lives. We are committed to protecting students’ and parents’ constitutional rights and are launching an investigation of every school district that foolishly accepts the state’s invitation to trample those rights. We urge families who will be affected by these religious displays to contact our organizations.”

The legislature passed House Bill 47 this year allowing schools to put the Ten Commandments in “prominent” locations such as a “school entryway, cafeteria, or common area where students are likely to see the display.” The displays must have text with a font size no smaller than 26 points and a “style and manner that is easy for students to see and read,” the groups said in a statement.

Initially, House Bill 47 would have given local school boards and public charter school governing bodies authority to allow schools to put the Tennessee Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Tennessee Constitution, Bill of Rights and other historical documents in “prominent” locations to educate students.

Republican Sen. Mark Pody of Lebanon tried to amend the bill to request districts to post the Ten Commandments. But the bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Michael Hale of Smithville, opted to give school districts a choice, making it easier for the bill to withstand a constitutional challenge.