Protect Separation of Church and State!

Take Action

Ohio lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Senate Bill 34 makes the Ten Commandments one of nine “historical educational” documents school districts, charter schools and STEM schools could display in each classroom. The legislation requires that at least one document on the list must be displayed.

This is a plainly obvious attempt to impose explicit religious beliefs and practices on young, captive audiences in our public schools. Schools should not be pawns in larger culture wars, and SB 34 intentionally blurs the lines between the separation of church and state.

Public schools are not Sunday schools, and religious freedom thrives best when the government stays out of it.

TAKE ACTION: Contact the House Education Committee and urge them to REJECT SB 34.

Message Recipients: Members of the House Education Committee

Separation of Church and State - a picture of the Statehouse with a bible and street signs

[The Form Label field is hidden on ACLU message action forms]

Your Message

Subject

Dear Representative,

I urge you to vote no on Senate Bill 34.

Message Body

Senate Bill 34 is a plainly obvious attempt to impose explicit religious beliefs and practices on young, captive audiences in our public schools.

Displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools imposes one religious belief on school faculty, staff, students, and volunteers who may follow different religions, hold different beliefs, or have none at all. This bill blurs the lines between church-state separation and religious freedom for all. It’s imperative that lawmakers safeguard public education.

It is additionally concerning that schools may seek donations to pay for the displays or to erect monuments with the documents on school grounds. The Ten Commandments are not the Ten Helpful Hints or the Ten Friendly Suggestions. They are, as the name suggests, religious commandments – not historical documents. There is no way to secularize or dilute this language to strip it of its religious significance.

Ohio’s children and school staff should not have government-influenced religious beliefs forced upon them. Schools should not be pawns in political culture wars.

I strongly urge you to REJECT SB 34.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

Your Information

All data you enter here will be shared with the message recipient along with your message, per our privacy statement.

Salutation *

(required by some officials)

ABOUT HONORIFIC TITLES

Many public officials use "web mail forms" that this system will send your message to, so you don't have to visit their web sites to communicate with them. The systems that some of these officials use requires that the honorific field be used (Mr., Mrs., Miss, etc.).

Unfortunately, we do not have control of which honorific titles are presented as options. We must adhere to what the officials are using in order for your message to be delivered.

Alternate Salutation

Most elected officials’ constituent email systems accept a very limited set of salutations. Please select the one you would most prefer.

First name *

Last name *

E-mail address *

Address *

Address Line 2

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Phone *

Phone Type *

Show my name in a list of action takers.

Sign me up for ACLU emails so I can stay informed and take action to protect people's rights.

I agree to receive calls and texts (including automated recurring text messages) from the ACLU and its state affiliates at the number I provided above about ways to take action and support the ACLU organizations. Message & Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP to quit. Privacy Statement

Leave this field blank

Protect Separation of Church and State!

Take Action

Recent participants