5 Things Christians Should Know about Texas’ Fight for Prayer and 10 Commandments in Schools

When President Donald Trump was still on the campaign trail for his second term, he made a point of letting voters know that bringing prayer back in schools was a part of his 10-point plan to "rebuild" America's education system. Dismantling the US Department of Education is also a part of that plan, according to Baptist News. Trump wants each state to create their own department of education tailored to the specific needs of the state, according to Thomas B. Fordham Institute. He has also vowed to protect prayer in public schools, according to The White House.

Interestingly, Pew Research reports that 46 percent of Americans feel that teachers in public schools shouldn't lead students in any kind of prayer. Only 30 percent said teachers should be allowed to lead prayer in school, while 23 percent were basically indifferent. At the same time, many parents fear for the safety of their children in schools, according to Gallup. It seems every time there's a school shooting, that concern spikes. Many Evangelicals feel that putting prayer and the 10 Commandments back in school will help reduce school violence. Here are 5 things Christians should know about Texas' fight for prayer and 10 commandments in schools.

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1. Senate Is Pushing for Prayer and 10 Commandments in Texas Schools

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The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 11 last week on a 23-7 vote, which addresses prayer in schools. They also passed Senate Bill 10, which pushed for the display of the 10 Commandments in schools. This bill passed on a 20-10 vote. Both bills will make their way to the desk of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, but the House still needs to consider them, according to NBCDFW.

"Our schools are not God-free zones. We are a state and nation built on 'In God We Trust,'" said Senator Mayes Middleton in a news release picked up by NBCDFW after last week's vote. "Litigious atheists are no longer going to get to decide for everyone else if students and educators exercise their religious liberties during school hours."

Middleton and Senator Phil King authored the bills. There is an option in SB 11 for parents to opt their children out of any prayer time at school, and school boards have the option to choose not to create times for religious activity, according to Austin American Statesman.

2. Supporters Believe Bills Will Reverse Moral Decline

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Those who support the bills believe that prayer and the display of the 10 commandments will help cause a reversal of the negative moral free-fall that America has been experiencing, according to US News.

About Three years ago, the Texas congress also created a law which required schools to display "In God We Trust" signs that were donated to schools, according to The Texas Tribune.

"We're confident this is what voters want," Attorney Jonathan Saenz, who helped draft SB 10, told CBN. "They want to make sure we preserve our values, teach about these things in our public schools, and get back to basics."

"God is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. It's on our money, in songs like 'God Bless America,' in our literature, and in our pledge to the flag," Montana State Senator Keith Regier told CBN. "Why would we not mention God in our schools? The courts need to understand that by removing God, they are replacing it with nothing."

3. Lawmakers Approve Curriculum That Supports Bible

High schoolers, high schooler files a federal lawsuit against school district after being suspended for expressing his Christian beliefs

3. Lawmakers Approve Curriculum That Supports Bible

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In addition to efforts to reintroduce morality and Biblical principles, the Texas Congress has passed laws that approve new curriculum materials that allow the Bible to be taught in conjunction with elementary school classes.

President of national pro-family organization WallBuilders Timothy Burton said during a Senate hearing on the bills earlier in the month, "It used to be there was a very clear moral standard that we could point to."

He noted that it's "ironic" that students can be arrested if they break the law, yet they can't read the 10 Commandments in schools upon which much of the US legal system is based.

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4. Texas Is Not Alone in its Efforts

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There are at least 14 states that are working toward getting the 10 Commandments back in their schools and strengthening prayer in schools. The 2019 Kennedy v. Bremerton School District case, involving football coach Joe Kennedy (often called "Average Joe"), is widely seen as a major victory that strengthens schools' rights in similar situations.

Coach Kennedy wanted to express his faith by praying on the 50 yard line at the end of every game. After several games, the students began to ask if they could join him. Then the school asked him to stop this activity or he would lose his job. He refused to stop. Because he didn't mandate that the students pray with him and they joined of their own free will, the school was ordered by the court to restore Kennedy to his job as coach.

5. Separation of Church and State Argument

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During the Senate hearings for SB 10 and SB 11, supporters argued that American democracy and Christianity can't really be separated from one another. When opponents brought up the church-state separation clause, supporters argued that the clause was designed to keep government out of the church, but not to keep Biblical principles out of schools or other public institutions. The clause reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

"Separation of church and state, that's not in the Constitution anywhere," said Middleton.

The clause was initially penned by Thomas Jefferson, who was very religious, according to First Liberty.

Elizabeth Delaney Author Headshot Elizabeth Delaney has been a freelance content writer for over 20 years and has enjoyed having her prose published in both the non-fiction and fiction markets. She has written various types of content, including Christian articles, healthy lifestyle, blog posts, business topics, news articles, product descriptions, and some fiction. She is also a singer-songwriter-musician. When she is not busy with writing or music, she enjoys spending time with friends or family and doing fun social activities such as hiking, swing dancing, concerts, and other activities.