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‘We Must Restore a Biblical Standard’: Mom Tells TX Lawmakers Why She Supports Mandating Ten Commandments in All Classrooms
The Texas Senate Education Committee Wednesday morning took up legislation that would mandate installing large posters of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across the state.
Republicans invited a mother to share why she supports the bill that requires the religious document be readable from anywhere in the room, “in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom in which the poster or framed copy is displayed.”
The mother told lawmakers, “The Ten Commandments are not only a sacred text in the Jewish and Christian faiths, but they’re also essential to direct secular issues or more secular issues of just honoring one’s parents.”
“Not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, not bearing false witness and not being covetous,” she explained.
“As a mom of seven, I homeschool because I see what’s happening in the public schools, but it’s my desire to see order and morality restored to the classrooms, that it will again be a place where people can feel safe sending their children,” she said.
She did not stop there.
“We must restore a biblical standard to our educational system,” she declared.
The modern day United States does not have a “biblical standard” in its public schools system, thanks to several decades-old U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
Those who oppose mandating the installation of religious texts in public, taxpayer-funded schools, can thank the unnamed mother for making their case for them – one that the U.S. Supreme Court already decided was unconstitutional more than 40 years ago.
The mother, who was reading from pre-written note cards, possibly written by her or another party, focused on the “secular issues” portion of the Ten Commandments – a wise choice if you’re attempting to contradict a Supreme Court decision and the U.S. Constitution.
In 1980. the U.S. Supreme Court in Stone v. Graham ruled 5-4 that a Kentucky state law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. That law, as the legal website Oyez notes, “required the posting of a copy of the Ten Commandments in each public school classroom,” just as the proposed Texas bill, SB 1515, does.
Here’s the critical part that the mother’s testimony mutes:
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“The Court found that the requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted ‘had no secular legislative purpose’ and was ‘plainly religious in nature,'” Oyez explains. “The Court noted that the Commandments did not confine themselves to arguably secular matters (such as murder, stealing, etc.), but rather concerned matters such as the worship of God and the observance of the Sabbath Day.”
Moreover, the mother makes clear her goal is to “restore a biblical standard to our educational system,” which presumably also violates the U.S. Constitution.
Watch a short clip of her testimony, posted by NBC News’ Mike Hixenbaugh, below or at this link.
Texas mom testifies in support of mandating the Ten Commandments in all classrooms:
“I homeschool because I see what’s happening in the public schools, but it is my desire to see order and morality restored … We must restore a Biblical standard to our educational system.” pic.twitter.com/ldR4OyFkig
— Mike Hixenbaugh (@Mike_Hixenbaugh) April 5, 2023
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Donald Trump will have more than a dozen allies, including an elected Republican state attorney general and several House Republicans at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building on Monday, in likely the largest show of support yet for the indicted ex-president facing 34 felony charges related to his alleged effort to subvert the election by falsifying business records related to his “hush money” payments to two women.
At least four GOP members of the House, which is not back in session until Tuesday, are expected to show at the courthouse, and an even larger number, at least nine, Trump allies are also expected to attend – likely to deliver speeches before the cameras.
The list, according to NewsNation’s Libbey Dean, includes South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, an election denier who had supported overturning the 2020 presidential election and signed onto what has been called a “false and frivolous” lawsuit attempting to overturn the results. Wilson also was chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association in 2020 when the organization “sent a robocall encouraging ‘patriots’ to march on the Capitol and demand Congress overturn the election results,” the Associated Press reported in January 2021. He denied knowledge of the robocall project and five days after the January 2021 insurrection conceded Joe Biden had won the presidency.
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Other elected officials attending Trump’s trial Monday are Republican U.S. Reps. Eric Burlison, Andrew Clyde, Mary Miller, and Keith Self.
Also attending are John Coale from the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute, attorney Alan Dershowitz, Trump attorney and GOP attorney general candidate Will Scharf, convicted felon and Trump pardon recipient Bernie Kerik, Trump loyalist and former Trump administration official Kash Patel, and others.
Senate Republicans who spoke with CNN’s Manu Raju (video below) made clear they will not be dropping support for the indicted and embattled ex-president any time soon.
Trump’s trial, which last week had been on schedule to end this week, will now extend into next week with closing arguments beginning Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) told CNN’s Raju, he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Trump is convicted, while echoing, almost verbatim, Trump’s talking points.
“I mean, that’s probably going to happen, but that’s going to get, most likely, thrown out. These charges, frankly, talk about election interference, that’s what’s going on right now in that New York courtroom.”
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Senator James Lankford (R-OK), whose bipartisan border bill was killed by Trump, would only offer this to CNN: “I want to be able to have people that are role models and leaders and all those things as well.”
“For me, the policy issues are going to matter significantly,” he added, suggesting support for Trump.
Senate Republican Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota was asked if he will continue to support Trump if he is convicted.
“We’ll see how the trial comes out. I’m not weighing in on that.”
Watch the video below or at this link.
Trump could be acquitted or convicted as soon as this week. If he’s convicted, will he support Trump? Thune: “We’ll see how the trial comes out. I’m not weighing in on that.”
Lankford says he would bc it comes down to policy. “I want to be able to have people that are role… pic.twitter.com/FLUMfX7kKd
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 20, 2024
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House Oversight Republicans held a contempt of Congress hearing for Attorney General Merrick Garland while lawmakers allegedly were drinking alcohol and acting “pretty ugly” during Thursday night’s proceedings. Now, they are the ones accused of behavior “embarrassing to our institution” by Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who wants an investigation.
“Members of the panel ultimately advanced a contempt of Congress resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland on a party-line vote, but the far more striking takeaway was the personal attacks and theatrics lobbed between lawmakers in both parties — as Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) struggled unsuccessfully to gain control for more than an hour,” Politico reported Friday, adding: “both Republicans and Democrats acknowledged some members had been drinking that evening.”
Who was drinking remains a secret.
“A House Republican described the hearing as ’embarrassing’ and ‘a four -alarm dumpster fire,'” Axios reported. “The session quickly devolved into chaos, with Democrats blasting the GOP for postponing the hearing so several members could visit former President Trump’s trial and Republicans heckling them in response.”
One Democrat during the hearing spoke up.
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Ranking Member Raskin “said it was ’embarrassing to our institution’ and that he ‘constantly’ instructs his members to maintain a ‘high level of dignity and respect and decorum.'”
“We have some members in the room who are drinking inside the hearing room … who are not on this committee,” alleged Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM).
The Hill adds that Congressman Raskin said, “I didn’t see the drinking,” and that “the gentlelady from New Mexico, Melanie Stansbury raised it, she said there are members drinking in the room, and that’s something that is worth investigating if there was in fact drinking taking place.”
One unnamed House Republican told Axios, “This place is so stupid.”
The evening’s events quickly took a bad turn when U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), violating decorum, interrupted Ranking Member Raskin barely 30 seconds into his remarks.
Watch below or at this link.
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The State of New York’s prosecution of Donald Trump is nearing it end, as Judge Juan Merchan announced late Thursday afternoon final arguments could begin on Tuesday. But one question remains: Will the ex-president who is facing 34 felony charges in the election interference, falsification of business records, and hush money cover-up case, testify in his defense?
Just over one month ago Trump was asked that question. He quickly responded, “Yeah I would testify, absolutely.”
Reporter: “Do you plan to testify at your trial?”
Trump: “Yeah, I would testify, absolutely, it’s a scam.” pic.twitter.com/00uKFjeWhl
— Los Angeles Magazine (@LAmag) April 12, 2024
Trump appeared resolved.
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“I’m testifying. I tell the truth. I mean, all I can do is tell the truth. And the truth is that there is no case,” he said, as NBC News reported.
NBC added last week that Trump “told Newsmax two weeks ago that he would testify ‘if necessary,’ and on Tuesday he said in an interview with Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin that he would ‘probably’ take the stand, adding that he ‘would like to.'”
But when Judge Merchan asked Todd Blanche, Trump’s attorney, on Thursday, the answer was very different.
“That’s another decision that we need to think through,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
But Politico’s Erica Orden reported, “Blanche says Trump hasn’t made a final decision about whether to testify.”
Last week, as the question of Trump’s testifying loomed large, U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) insisted he would not.
“It’s over. Donald Trump has a right to not testify. Yet he PROMISED he would. Now it’s clear he won’t. The jury can’t consider this. But you can. He is chickenshit and you should conclude he’s guilty as hell.”
On Wednesday, attorney George Conway addressed the topic, saying, “If he doesn’t testify, it’s because he’s scared.”
He also said, “in a million years, I would never tell him to testify. I would tell him not to testify.”
Watch the video above or at this link.
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