Louisiana House Approves 10 Commandments Legislation

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In an issue that has been surrounded by controversy, the Louisiana full House overwhelming approved legislation requiring schools, including, elementary, high-schools, and state universities that receive state dollars, to have the Ten Commandments posted in their classrooms.

Even though opponents say its unconstitutional because it endorses religion, Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham argues the Ten Commandments set the foundation for laws we follow today:

“This is where we get our foundational beliefs of what’s right and what’s wrong. Otherwise where do we get our sense of right and wrong? Does it just pop in our heads? Or does it just come from a statue book? Everything traces back to the ten commandments in Western civilization.”

The proposed law does not require teachers to educate students about the Ten Commandments, only that they be displayed in each classroom on a poster.  Public funding would not be used, but rather private dollars would pay for them to be posted.

But Representative Mandie Landry of New Orleans says having the Ten Commandments displayed could create issues beyond the U S Constitution.

“So we have in little kids classrooms words like adultery and coveting your neighbors wife. How is that appropriate when its not appropriate to teach a child about how they get pregnant when you’re going to talk about what adultery means in the bible.”

Despite the opposition the measure passed on an 82 to 19 vote.  Representative Roger Wilder of Denham Springs believes it be a positive thing for students to see the Ten Commandments every day…

“I think the moral decline of our kids in general is something we should be concerned about. So if somebody can answer what’s so unmoral about the ten commandments don’t steal, don’t kill, whatever. We can’t argue a child seeing that and learning from it is a bad thing.”