Liz Wolfe at Reason Roundup: “The Commandments do not confine themselves to arguably secular matters, such as honoring one’s parents, killing or murder, adultery, stealing, false witness, and covetousness,” wrote the majority in that decision. “Rather, the first part of the Commandments concerns the religious duties of believers: worshipping the Lord God alone, avoiding idolatry, not using the Lord’s name in vain, and observing the Sabbath Day.”
“This is not a case in which the Ten Commandments are integrated into the school curriculum, where the Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like,” wrote the Court. “If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all, it will be to induce the schoolchildren to read, meditate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey, the Commandments. However desirable this might be as a matter of private devotion, it is not a permissible state objective under the Establishment Clause.”
“Politicians have no business imposing their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools,” reads a statement issued jointly by groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, its Louisiana chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, that are suing over this law.
More here.
