Letter: Schools need more than Ten Commandments

This morning, I glimpsed the unfortunate headline proclaiming, “Jamie Burger’s bill aims to mandate Ten Commandments…” (Southeast Missourian, Feb. 7, 2025).

Because, why not? It’s not like using the law to force your religious opinions on children has ever hurt anyone, right? Look the other way as Sen. Burger recommends. Act like Republicans do after school shootings.

Which begs the question: How do Ten Commandments posters in classrooms prevent school shootings as Sen. Burger predicts? Perhaps the gunmen will read them and have a change of heart? Regardless, the victims are now “allowed to pray in school” during school shootings, so that’s nice.

My only hope is that the 4,693 children in Scott County’s public schools who are free and reduced-price lunch eligible (www.dese.mo.gov.MCDS/Visualizations) find comfort in Sen. Burger’s Ten Commandments posters, especially after Elon Musk guts the federal Department of Education.

Who will pay for the inevitable Establishment Clause lawsuits? The individual school districts will pay. This novel approach is the latest issued from the same Christian Nationalist playbook that all Republicans use to try (and fail) to install their Ten Commandments in our schools and courtrooms. Burger’s bill will also fail if passed, and at a substantial cost to taxpayers.

Missouri’s schools rank in the lowest two-thirds of all 50 states and 50th in teacher salaries. The last “investment” that our public schools need is more unnecessary distractions for students, parents and educators. Provide hot meals for all students instead of religious dogma. WWJD?