Image Credit: Maury County Schools & Canva.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Maury County Public Schools is the latest district to vote in favor of displaying the Ten Commandments and portions of other foundational historical documents following the passage of a new state law this year.
The law empowers each school board to decide whether to showcase the Ten Commandments alongside other documents including a part of the Declaration of Independence mentioning God, the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Tennessee Constitution.
Districts choosing to display the documents must adhere to certain requirements prescribed in the legislation like text size, verbiage, and visibility in “prominent locations”.
On Oct. 13, the Maury County school board voted 9-2 to pass a resolution allowing for the display of the documents after about 10 minutes of discussion which followed around 30 minutes of conversation about whether the district could afford more school counselors.
Board member Lesa Webster-Dawson saw the issues as related, saying, “I think now is the time for us to take a stand in our school systems. Maybe if we take a stand now, we won’t have to have these school counselors in our school system the way that we need them.”
And resolution sponsor Kathy Mikula emphasized, “The intent of this legislation is historical and literacy endeavor to help students become familiar with the truths of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America who believed these documents were and are essential for good governance. It authorizes the public schools…to display the historical documents that have informed the development of law, government, and civic institutions in the state of Tennessee and the United States of America.”
A couple of other members expressed concerns that implementing the new law could lead to legal challenges, but these considerations were greatly debated by legislators in forming the law, which is why it is explicitly permissive instead of mandating the documents like in some other states currently entangled in lawsuits.
Maury County now makes at least six Tennessee school districts to approve the displays, including Rutherford, Wilson, White, and Hamilton Counties, though several districts have found themselves opposed by leftist groups like the ACLU.
Sources:
MSN.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
