Texas lawmakers fail to pass bill requiring schools to display Ten Commandments

A bill that would have required Texas public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms failed earlier this week. 

Senate Bill 1515 proposed by GOP state Sen. Phil King would have required classrooms in public schools to present “in a conscious place” a copy of the Ten Commandments “in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom.”

“I think this would be a good healthy step for Texas to bring back this tradition of recognizing America’s religious heritage,” King said during an interview with Fox 26 Houston.

“Senate Bill 1515 restores a little bit of those religious liberties that were lost and most importantly will remind students all across Texas of the importance of a fundamental foundation of America and Texas law and that being the 10 commandments,” he continued. 

Opponents of the bill said it was unconstitutional.

“This bill was an unconstitutional attack on our core liberties that threatened the freedom of and from religion we hold dear as Texans. It should never have gotten this close to passage,” ACLU of Texas lawyer David Donatti said in a written statement.

The Texas Tribune reported that the legislation was essentially dead on arrival due to failure to get a vote by the House before the Tuesday deadline.