Rep. Dodie Horton, author of House Bill 71 requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms, gave as her rationale that “the legislation honors the country’s religious origins.”
What religious origins? I doubt that I am the only citizen of this state who takes issue with that opinion. As a former history major and lifelong student of history, I learned that it was a country of freedom and equality that our founders sought to establish. Precisely because they held a wide variety of spiritual beliefs, they understood the necessity of not attempting to establish a national religion, but instead chose to provide the freedom necessary for each of us to follow our own individual conscience.
It’s unfortunate that so many Americans calling themselves Christians seem to feel that it is their moral obligation to bully others into adopting their personal brand of faith. In 2022, Rep. Horton authored another bill forbidding the discussion of any topics in classrooms that related to LGBTQ issues. As a Southern Baptist, she explained that her bill was “an attempt to protect our most innocent from indoctrination of any kind.”
Apparently Rep. Horton has failed to recognize that passing a law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in a public school classroom is likewise indoctrination. Furthermore, since Christianity is not a uniform religion, I wonder how much time will be wasted in the Legislature arguing over which version of the Ten Commandments must be posted.
I sincerely hope that the Senate will have the wisdom to redirect the Legislature’s focus on improving the quality of our children’s secular education in Louisiana public schools so that they may become successful citizens capable of contributing to the whole of society and stop trying to intrude on parental rights to provide their essential spiritual training.
SUE GISCLAIR
Baton Rouge
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