State Representative Michael Hale has introduced a bill which would allow local schools and public charter schools to display the Ten Commandments on school property.
Hale is the sponsor of HB0047 which was filed last month. Under the bill, schools will be able to display the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Constitution of Tennessee, the Bill of Rights, or other “historically significant documents.”
The bill allows schools to place the display in a “prominent location” in each school building to “educate students on the historical significance and common cultural heritage the documents have on the principles of the LEA or public charter school, this state, or the United States of America.”
Schools will have access to printed versions to be made available -if not already available- to them free of charge and each school will decide the size and placement of the display.
Representative Hale’s bill states as follows:
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 20, is amended by adding the following as a new section:
(a) Local boards of education and governing bodies of public charter schools, as defined in § 49-13-104, may allow schools in the LEA and public charter schools to display the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Constitution of Tennessee, the Bill of Rights, a resolution honoring the history of a school in the LEA or the public charter school, or other historically significant documents in a prominent location in each school building in order to educate students on the historical significance and common cultural heritage the documents have on the principles of the LEA or public charter school, this state, or the United States of America.
(b) LEAs and public charter schools are encouraged to display the historical documents using wall posters or other hard copy, printed versions that are made available to the LEAs or public charter schools free of charge.
(c) Each local board of education and each governing body of a public charter school shall determine the size and placement of the display authorized in subsection (a).
(d) As used in subsection (a), “prominent location” means a school entryway, cafeteria, or common area where students are likely to see the display. SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.