TX Fails To Pass Ten Commandments In Classrooms Bill

The New York Times reports:

A push to inject religion into public schools across Texas faltered on Tuesday after the State House failed to pass a contentious bill that would have required the Ten Commandments to be displayed prominently in every classroom.

The measure was part of an effort by conservative Republicans in the Legislature to expand the reach of religion into the daily life of public schools. In recent weeks, both chambers passed versions of a bill to allow school districts to hire religious chaplains in place of licensed counselors.

But the Ten Commandments legislation, which passed the State Senate last month, remained pending before the Texas House until Tuesday, the final day to approve bills before the session ends next Monday. Time expired before the legislation could receive a vote.

Read the full article.

The bill could be resurrected if Gov. Greg Abbott follows through on his threat to call a special session on other items that ran out of time.

Sen. Mayes Middleton, the bill’s sponsor last appeared here for his bill allowing the overturn of elections in blue counties.

We first heard from him last year for his bill to prosecute and disbar members of a law firm for “reimbursing travel costs of employees who leave Texas to murder their unborn children.”

Last week the Family Research Council came out in opposition to posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms because it would open the door to posters from other religions.

Middleton’s Ten Commandments bill also includes setting aside daily class time for reading the bible.

The Texas House failed to pass a contentious bill that would have required the Ten Commandments to be displayed prominently in every public school classroom. But lawmakers are poised to allow religious chaplains to act as school counselors. https://t.co/WEnx5olySv

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 24, 2023