蜜桃影视

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for 蜜桃影视 Newsletter

that would have required South Dakota public schools to display and teach the Ten Commandments failed to clear its final legislative hurdle Monday at the Capitol in Pierre as the state House to reject it.

State representatives engaged in a lengthy, impassioned debate. Opponents said the bill represented an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion, and warned of legal challenges.

Rep. David Kull, R-Brandon, referenced out-of-state support for the bill, including from Texas-based , which says it works to protect the nation鈥檚 鈥淏iblical foundation.鈥�

鈥淢ake no mistake, this bill is an experiment, and we鈥檙e the lab rats, and the leading scientists from out of state are driving us,鈥� Kull said. 鈥淭he beauty for them is they aren鈥檛 at risk. Their money isn鈥檛 at risk 鈥� ours is.鈥�

A similar bill adopted by Louisiana is being in court.

The South Dakota bill originally mandated that all public school classrooms feature 8-by-14-inch posters of the Ten Commandments with a three-part, 225-word statement explaining their historical significance. The bill was amended during the Monday debate to require only one display for each school, but the House rejected the bill even with the amendment.

Additionally, schools would have been required to incorporate lessons on the commandments at least once during elementary, middle and high school as part of civics and history classes.

Supporters of the bill said the Ten Commandments played a fundamental role in shaping American law and culture.

Rep. John Hughes, R-Sioux Falls, was among the lawmakers who said the commandments are needed in schools. He said the Judeo-Christian worldview is under attack.

鈥淥ur system of public education instructs our children that no god is responsible for how we came to be, for what purpose we were created, and for what becomes of us when we breathe our last breath on this earth,鈥� he said.

Rep. Tim Goodwin, R-Rapid City, said he supported the bill even though the religious leaders and public school superintendents he talked to were against it.

Goodwin said he prayed about the bill and experienced a calmness that influenced his vote.

鈥淭he calmness had a voice saying to me, if one person comes to Christ because the Ten Commandments are posted, vote yes,鈥� he said.

Rep. Keri Weems, R-Sioux Falls, said a government mandate is not the right way to spread Christianity.

鈥淭his is brought about by relationships,鈥� she said, 鈥渘ot words on a wall.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seth Tupper for questions: [email protected].

Did you use this article in your work?

We鈥檇 love to hear how 蜜桃影视鈥檚 reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.