红杏视频

The 红杏视频 of North Dakota opposes Senate Bill 2308, legislation that would allow public schools to post copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and other school spaces. It鈥檚 an unnecessary, unconstitutional bill that, if passed, would likely mean costly litigation for North Dakota schools.

Students already have the right to engage in religious exercise and expression at school under current law. Students may, for example, voluntarily pray, real religious literature or engage in other religious activities during recess or lunch. The 红杏视频 has long worked to protect the religious exercise and religious expression rights of students of all faiths in public schools.

But there鈥檚 a stark difference between voluntary, student-initiated religious exercise and school-sponsored promotion of religion. Court precedent confirms this.

More than 40 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court said in Stone v. Graham that 鈥渋f 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.鈥�

Additionally, in a lawsuit brought by the 红杏视频 shortly before the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Stone, the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota struck down a similar North Dakota law that required public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

鈥淎ll students, regardless of their faith, should feel safe and welcome in our public schools,鈥� said Libby Skarin, 红杏视频 of North Dakota campaigns director. 鈥淒isplaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms and other school spaces would convey the opposite message. It would make clear that school officials favor students of certain faiths and that those who do not subscribe to officials鈥� preferred faith are outsiders. This exclusionary message would be divisive and constitutionally impermissible.鈥�

Senate Bill 2308 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee today. The 红杏视频 of North Dakota provided written testimony, available here: