Displaying Ten Commandments is about history, not religion

Is Louisiana law establishing a state religion by displaying the 10 Commandments in public classrooms?

Almost all you hear in the news is how this law violates the First Amendment Establishment clause. But what applies here is the Free Exercise clause.

The law requires all public school classrooms display the 10 Commandments AND a “Context Statement” which explains how the Ten Commandments is a significant part of our national history. It reads in part:

“The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries.

“ … the first published American textbook … was used in public schools throughout the United States for more than one hundred fifty years to teach Americans to read and contained more than forty questions about the Ten Commandments.

“ … The Ten Commandments also appeared in textbooks published by Noah Webster ... which were widely used in American public schools along with America’s first comprehensive dictionary that Webster also published. His textbook, The American Spelling Book, contained the Ten Commandments ... for use by public school children all across the nation and was still available for use in American public schools in the year 1975."

This is not establishing a religion; it’s re-establishing part of our national history. However, if someone wants to look at the display as a religious document, then the Free Exercise Clause ensures you can.

I suggest Linn County public schools display the Ten Commandments and this Context Statement. The First Amendment ensures we can.

Curt Hancock

Mount Vernon