Jewish Congress Protests Posting of “ten Commandments” in Public Schools

The posting of the so-called “Public School Ten Commandments” in public schools was deplored today by an attorney for the American Jewish Congress and the New York Board of Rabbis as “bad theology, bad pedagogy and bad law.” At a hearing conducted by James E. Allen, Jr. , New York State Commissioner of Education, Leo Pfeffer, representing the two organizations, argued that the practice of displaying a “non-sectarian” Ten Commandments in schools constitutes “another step in the threatening evolution of a new religion in America–‘public school religion.”

The case of the ” on-sectarian” Ten Commandments has come before Mr. Allen in the form of an appeal from parents of school-children attending the public schools of New Hyde Park, Long Island. Late last November, the school board of that community voted to post copies of a special, unnumbered version of the Decalogue in the schools. The Nassau County parents are now appealing this decision. The so–called “Public School Ten Commandments” differ from the present versions accepted by all religious groups, including Jewish, Roman Catholic, Protestant and Greek Catholics.

In presenting the arguments of the AJC and the New York Board of Rabbis, Mr. Pieffer described the practice as ”bad pedagogy” because it raises questions that the public school teacher is forbidden to answer. “It is inevitable, ” he pointed out, that the children will ask their teachers to explain the meaning of the Commandments so conspicuously posted on the walls, particularly since the public school version differs from what the children have been taught in their own religious schools. Public school teachers may not answer the questions and are instructed to refer the children to their own spiritual advisers. Aside from the fact that this is bad pedagogy, it is impossible to enforce this regulation. Some teachers, despite the ban, will be unable to resist the temptation to answer the questions in accordance with their own sectarian interpretations. “

Continuing his arguments Mr. Pfeffer emphasized that the practice of posting the Commandments is “bad theology because the public school version differs from those accepted and considered sacred by all the major faiths of America. These differences cannot be brushed aside by a secular authority as inconsequential. Differences in biblical text and interpretation are the very basis of the differences in religious faiths.”

SAYS IT VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

The practice is ”bad law,” Mr. Pfeffer argued, “because it violates the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York. Both constitutions require the public schools to refrain from religious instruction and religious indoctrination. It is sacrilegious and false to say that the Ten Commandments is not a religious symbol, one of the most deeply religious symbols of the major faiths. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the U.S. Constitution prohibits states and municipalities from commingling the sacred and the secular. The posting of the ‘Public School Ten Commandments’ in the classroom violates this prohibition.”

Characterizing this latest move an New Hyde Park schools as still another development in evolving a ”public school religion ” Mr Pfeffer recalled two steps taken earlier in this same “dangerous” trend. The first, he said, was the adoption by the New York Board of Regents of a “non-sectarian” prayer. The second step, Mr. Pfeffer continued, was the proposal for a “common-core” religious teaching, that is, the extracting from the major religions of the principles deemed common to all, and the teaching of these principles in the public schools.

To supplement his arguments, the Congress spokesman presented an analysis of the different versions of the Decalogue showing how the “Public School” version differs from those accepted by Jews, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Protestans and members of the Greek Orthodox faith.