Schools Will Not Post 10 Commandments

The issue, which was prompted by concern from a board member, comes months after a state decision that allows school boards to chose whether their system will post the Ten Commandments.

The N.C. General Assembly recently passed a bill that serves as an amendment to the Student Citizenship Act of 2001.

The bill states that a variety of documents can be posted by the school systems if they are of historic significance.

The proposal was struck down by the board less than 15 minutes after attorney Mike Parker expressed concerns that the board might face legal and financial consequences.

Parker discussed possible ramifications for posting the Ten Commandments and showed the board members cases of past school board attempts to post the documents.

"Only one case of posting the Ten Commandments in schools was not struck down," Parker said.

The decision to post also could come directly under fire by special interest groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union.

Deborah Ross, executive director of the N.C. ACLU in Raleigh, said the state law provides both incorrect and incomplete information on the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools.

"The ACLU is willing to pursue legal action if they post the Ten Commandments in schools," Ross said. "The Ten Commandments don't apply under the historic display law."

Parker also said Monday that the board should bear in mind that the law could change in the future.

"It will be challenged as to whether it goes against the Constitution," Parker said.

School board member Dana Thompson said she was against posting the Ten Commandments.

"On this issue, the right thing for us to do is focus on what is best for the children," she said. "Leave matters of faith to family and churches."

Thompson also said the board should look at other school systems as examples

"We've gotten information from various attorneys, and no school system has decided to post the Ten Commandments under the new law," Thompson said.

But school board member David Kolbinsky said he thought discussion of the posting in schools was one of importance.

"To deny religious history is to deny U.S. history itself," he said.

School board member Susan Halkiotis disagreed with entertaining the idea of posting the Ten Commandments in the public schools. "This idea is fruitless and distractive," she said.

Halkiotis also expressed that she believed that there were more important issues at hand.

"Since when were we even thinking about doing this?" she asked the other board members.

"It's not my intent to pursue doing this," Halkiotis added.

School board member Robert Batemen said he thinks there is a lot of uncertainty as to what is considered permissible action for the school board to take.

"Personally, I think since (Gov. Mike Easley) signed it into law, how can it be unlawful?"

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.