You are right, the Commandments would likely take a place of honor, in most schools, because the overwhelming majority of students are from a Christian background. Why that is a charade, when the objectionable aspect should be neutralized by the inclusiveness of documents, beats me. It is only natural to emphasize that tradition that has the most cultural authority for the students.
I can see how you might object to the specifically religious Commandments. On the other hand, the point is to place culturally hallowed texts in a display, not to tamper with them. I would not take out references to "Nature's God" from the Declaration of Independence.
To me, the hypocrisy is in pretending that we are especially diverse, that there are substantial minorities of Buddhists, Hindus, Jain, Sikhs, Muslims, Confucians, atheists, and so forth, in most school districts. It is an hypocrisy I am willing to go along with, in order to conform to the Constitutional stricture about favoring a particular religion. There is no hypocrisy in admitting that the Ten Commandments holds pride of place in our national culture...... |
