The significance of the Ten Commandments can now be taught in Utah public schools as part of American History

Utah public schools will now have the ability to teach the Ten Commandments after a new law was passed in the Legislature.

Utah Gov. Sean Cox signed a bill last week allowing the Ten Commandments and the Magna Carta to be taught at any grade in public classrooms as part of American history and government.

Other documents already taught include the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, the Mayflower Compact, presidential speeches and writings and other primary documents.

HB 269 was approved by the legislation by wide margins – 49-16 in the House and 20-4 in the Senate.  

The first version of the bill would have required a copy of the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every school, but bill sponsor Rep. Mike Petersen, R-Logan, changed it prior to its hearing in the Utah Legislature.  

A U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1980 that requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms violated the First Amendment. However, it did not prohibit their use as instructional material. 

Nevertheless, Clifford Rosky, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Utah, said prior to its passage that HB 269 will likely face a lawsuit.  

“If you can’t pray in public schools – and if the school can’t require prayer or teach children prayer – why would it be able to teach children the Ten Commandments?” Rosky told local media.  

But Rep. Petersen emphasizes the historical nature of the famous text’s significance. 

“The Ten Commandments, while it is a religious document, is a very historical document in that it colored the way our founders wrote the Constitution, wrote the Declaration (of Independence),” he explained to the House. “It colored the way they developed our civil society.”  

Though objections were raised over the potential discomfort of non-Christian students or teachers, Petersen insisted the bill would help schools provide the best education possible.  

“I understand the concerns that we’ll turn our schools into seminaries,” he said, “but let’s not allow that fear to prevent students from getting a complete and accurate American history and government experience.”  

With the governor’s signature, the law will go into effect July 1.