An Oklahoma school district is learning a valuable lesson thanks to a student and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. On May 1, FFRF sent a letter to Superintendent Ron Flanagan requesting that he ensure that numerous Ten Commandments postings be removed from Muldrow Public Schools classrooms. A student reported that Ten Commandments placards were on the wall in every classroom.
The letter from FFRF Staff Attorney Patrick Elliott advised that the displays were a flagrant violation of the Establishment Clause and Supreme Court precedent. While some teachers initially refused to remove the Ten Commandments postings, FFRF was informed by the school district’s attorney that they had all been removed by Friday, May 10th.
The Board of Education of Muldrow Public Schools is likely to hear requests to put the Ten Commandments back in classrooms at a Board meeting tonight. The agenda for the meeting includes allotted time for a pastor of a local church to addressing the issue.
“We are pleased the school administration has removed the Ten Commandments, in compliance with the Constitution. This is settled law. Public schools cannot advance or endorse religion,” said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. She added, “We hope the Board will ‘Honor thy constitution,’ and heed the advice of its attorney rather than to acquiesce to pressure from a religious mob.”
In September, FFRF filed suit against two school districts in Pennsylvania over Ten Commandments monuments in front of public schools.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled conclusively that Ten Commandment displays may not be posted in public schools.
