166 Texas Faith Leaders Urge Lawmakers to Protect Religious Freedom by Rejecting Ten Commandments Displays in Public School Classrooms

For Immediate Release
Media Contacts:
Lincoln Le, West End Strategy Team for Interfaith Alliance, [email protected]
Karlee Marshall, BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), [email protected]
The Sikh Coalition, [email protected]
Bee Moorhead, Texas Impact, [email protected] 

AUSTIN, TX – A group of Texas faith leaders are calling on state legislators to vote against SB 10, HB 1009, and any other bill that would require every K-12 public school to display a government-selected version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. 

In a new letter, 166 faith leaders from across the state make clear: “The responsibility for religious education belongs to families, houses of worship, and other religious institutions — not the government. The government oversteps its authority when it dictates an official state-approved version of any religious text.”

The letter was organized and supported by groups including Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC), Interfaith Alliance, and Texas Impact. It notes that these bills would trample on the religious freedom of Texans for whom the Ten Commandments hold no religious meaning, including those who practice Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Unitarian Universalism, or no religion at all. 

Furthermore, it points out that “the text of the display mandated by these bills manages to produce a hodgepodge of scripture that includes twelve, not ten, commandments and fails to reflect the beliefs of many Christian and Jewish communities.”

“As people of faith, we take our scriptural traditions seriously—we train and ordain leaders to impart those distinctive teachings to our children,” said Bee Moorhead, Executive Director of Texas Impact. “It is highly inappropriate for elected officials to appropriate the scripture of any faith tradition and use it for a secular purpose. Public schools have a vital job to do, and it does not include promulgating religious beliefs.”

“Faith isn’t something the government can force on kids in a classroom,” said Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty). “And in America, we don’t need the government playing preacher. Texas lawmakers need to do the right thing and leave faith where it belongs: with the people.” 

“Our public institutions have a responsibility to remain neutral in matters of religion,” said Upneet Kaur, Sikh Coalition Senior Education Manager, who attended K-12 Texas public schools. “As a member of a religious minority, I know the value of teaching about religion; schools that are less inclusive of all faiths in curricula and policies see more bias-based bullying. But one faith should never be elevated or preferenced over all others in an educational setting.”

“Religious freedom is a cornerstone of our democracy, and it thrives when the government respects the diversity of faiths and beliefs in our communities. SB 10 and HB 1009 not only overstep the boundaries between church and state but also risk alienating students and families whose beliefs differ from the state’s mandated religious display,” said Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Interfaith Alliance Vice President of Programs and Strategy, who attended K-12 Texas public schools. “Public schools should be inclusive spaces where all students feel respected, not places where one narrow and stilted interpretation of faith is imposed on everyone. Texas lawmakers should listen to these respected faith leaders and reject these bills.” 

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BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) is an 89-year-old religiously based organization working to defend faith freedom for all and protect the institutional separation of church and state in the historic Baptist tradition. BJC is the home of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.  For more information visit bjconline.org. 

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.

The Sikh Coalition is the nation’s largest Sikh civil rights and advocacy organization. Whether it’s working to secure safer schools, prevent hate and discrimination, create equal employment opportunities, or empower local Sikh communities, the Sikh Coalition’s goal is working towards a world where Sikhs, and other religious minorities in America, may freely practice their faith without bias and discrimination. For more information visit sikhcoalition.org. 

Texas Impact is a religious grassroots network whose members include individuals, congregations, and governing bodies of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faiths. Texas Impact exists to advance state public policies that are consistent with the shared values of Texas faith communities. Find out more at texasimpact.org.