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Montana Judiciary Committee Hears Heated Debate Over Bill Requiring Ten Commandments in Classrooms
Summary
Supporters told the Senate Judiciary Committee that recent Supreme Court decisions and historical precedent allow Ten Commandments displays in classrooms; opponents — including tribal leaders, the ACLU and educators — said the bill would impose a sectarian text on public schools and invite costly litigation.
Senate Judiciary Chair Barry Usher opened the committee hearing on Senate Bill 114, a proposal from Sen. Bob Phelan to require a plaque of the Ten Commandments ‘‘in every classroom in the state of Montana.’’ Phelan told the committee the display would be a historical reminder rather than a religious imposition and asked members to set aside the bill’s legal review.
Proponents framed the bill as both history and constitutional law. ‘‘The 10 Commandments have profoundly influenced and shaped America,’’ sponsor Sen. Bob Phelan said, asking the committee to consider monuments and displays nationwide. Legal‑policy witnesses including Matt Krause and representatives of First Liberty Institute argued that the Supreme Court’s recent pivot away from the Lemon test toward a…
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