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Thou shalt not mandate

Tennessee must keep church and state separate

Separation of church and state precludes former attempts to revive mandatory prayer and religious ceremonies in public schools. The resolution essentially approves state sponsorship of religion in schools -- codifying Judeo-Christian morals in a public institution. It encourages schools to post and observe the Ten Commandments, in addition to setting aside a two-week period to pay tribute to the moral code.

Proponents are peddling the bill as "Judeo-Christian," but the single Jewish member of the state Senate cast the only vote against the measure, correctly explaining that religious promotion does not fall under the government's job description.

Defendants of the resolution seek to counter the country's alleged moral decline by regulating religious observances in schools. While Atchley could be commended for single-handedly attempting to re-establish a "moral anchor" for this nation, his message would be more effective -- and constitutional -- spoken from a pulpit rather than the Senate floor.

Concern over values is influencing voters -- the religious right is challenging moderate Republicans this election year, pressuring them to align with more extremist conservative measures. The risk of rising power among the religious right manifests in the outcome of the overtly unconstitutional resolution. After a nearly unanimous vote in the Senate, the resolution is likely to pass within the Tennessee House shortly.

Although the resolution is relatively nonthreatening, its symbolism is alarming. Tennessee should have learned from its neighbor state of Kentucky, which attempted to enact a similar resolution two years ago. The Kentucky legislation mandated the observance of the Ten Commandments in all public schools. The legislation was repealed by the Supreme Court, ruling the resolution violated the First Amendment establishment clause. Supporters of the Tennessee legislation argue the regulation's semantics are not unconstitutional -- the resolution recommends practice and observance of the Ten Commandments without compelling public institutions to comply.

As the line drawn between religion and politics becomes increasingly ambiguous, the government must work to safeguard First Amendment rights, not to ensure values. The Koran, Torah, the Bible and other religious texts have a place in public -- religious codes inscribed on the walls of classrooms, businesses and government buildings do not.