Bill would allow the Ten Commandments in Kentucky schools
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — A new push in Frankfort could bring the Ten Commandments into Kentucky classrooms.
House Bill 116—filed by Rep. Richard White, of Morehead—would let local school boards allow teachers or administrators to post or read excerpts of the Ten Commandments in classrooms or at school events.
Bill would allow the Ten Commandments in Kentucky schools
Man arrested in connection with deadly shooting near Lexington laundromat
Lexington lawmaker wants 'slavery' out of Kentucky's constitution
Unlike laws in other states, this bill wouldn't require schools to display the commandments—it simply gives them the option.
This comes as an 18-state coalition, led by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, appeals a decision blocking a Louisiana law requiring all schools to display the Ten Commandments.
In November, a federal judge blocked a similar law in Louisiana, calling it 'overtly religious,' but Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is leading an 18-state coalition in support of the law.
Lawmakers introduce bill for moment of silence, prayer, pledge of allegiance in Kentucky schools
Supporters argued the commandments hold historical value, while critics said the bill violates the separation of church and state.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Arkansas families suing to block Ten Commandments in public classrooms, libraries
Arkansas families suing to block Ten Commandments in public classrooms, libraries Show Caption Hide Caption Texas lawmaker challenges Ten Commandments bill on the 'Sabbath' A Texas state bill that would require public schools to post donated placards of the Ten Commandments created an "ironic" moment in debate. Seven Arkansas families have filed a federal lawsuit to block a new law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms in the state, arguing that the law will infringe on their constitutional rights. In the complaint, filed June 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, the families challenged an upcoming state law that requires the Ten Commandments to be "prominently" displayed in every public classroom and library. The law, which takes effect in August, was signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in April. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a multifaith group of families by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF). The defendants include four school districts — Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, and Siloam Springs — in northwest Arkansas. Attorneys for the families, who are Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, or non-religious, said the law "violates longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent and the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment." The attorneys are asking a federal judge to declare the state requirement unconstitutional. In addition to the complaint, the attorneys are planning to file a motion for a preliminary and permanent injunction to block the implementation of the law while the suit is pending. "By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children," Samantha Stinson, one of the plaintiffs, said in a statement. The lawsuit was publicly released by the AU on June 11 and viewed by USA TODAY. The Arkansas Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on June 11. Related: How the Supreme Court could still reshape religious liberty with decisions in two cases Lawsuit: Ten Commandments law interferes with religious freedom According to the complaint, the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms and libraries will interfere with parents' right to direct their children's religious education and upbringing. The lawsuit further argues that the state requirement will create a "religiously coercive" school environment for children. Under the state law, each classroom and library will be required to post the Ten Commandments 'in a conspicuous place," the lawsuit states. The display of the text must be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall and be printed in a "typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the room," according to the complaint. The law also mandates that schools and libraries display a specific version of the Ten Commandments, which the suit states is associated with Protestant faiths and conflicts with the version followed by many Jews and Catholics. "Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library—rendering them unavoidable—unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture," the complaint states. "It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments ... do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences," the complaint added. It's not the first time. GOP leaders are calling for religion in public schools. Republican-led states push for religion in public classrooms Authorities in Republican-led states across the country have been pushing to spread religious teachings into public school classrooms, including incorporating the Bible into lessons and requiring schools to post state-selected versions of the Ten Commandments. School administrators and civil rights advocates have expressed opposition to the mandates, saying they violate students' constitutional rights. "Our Constitution's guarantee of church-state separation means that families – not politicians – get to decide if, when and how public-school children engage with religion," Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the AU, said in a statement on June 11. "This law is part of the nationwide Christian Nationalist scheme to win favor for one set of religious views over all others and nonreligion — in a country that promises religious freedom. Not on our watch. We're proud to defend the religious freedom of Arkansas schoolchildren and their families," Laser continued. The Arkansas law is similar to a Louisiana requirement that was signed in June 2024 by Gov. Jeff Landry. The Louisiana law was later blocked by a federal judge who declared it unconstitutional. The case, which is currently on appeal, is also being represented by the same counsel as the Arkansas lawsuit, attorneys said. In November 2024, Texas officials proposed a curriculum that includes teachings from the Bible. The state legislature also recently passed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the measure, which would take effect in September. In July 2024, Oklahoma's top education official ordered public schools to teach the Bible, which large state school districts have largely ignored. Despite the state's Republican-controlled legislature's rejection of his $3 million request to fund the effort, state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters has insisted classrooms would all have Bibles by fall 2025. Contributing: Murray Evans, The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bad actors in LA protests a ‘good thing' for Trump's immigration agenda: Chuck Rocha
Protests in Los Angeles and other cities continue as citizens protest ICE raids taking place in their communities. Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha encourages Americans to protest if they have disagreements with the government but cautions against bad actors who cause destruction and violence, saying, 'Those are the imagery Donald Trump wants to see … because it's a good thing for him.' Rocha talks about how President Trump campaigned on immigration, which he says is a key reason Trump was reelected. Rocha believes Democrats have a hard time sticking to core values and need to return to those if they want to win elections. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chris Cuomo: ICE protests happening across US aren't really about ICE
Are the protests happening across the United States over ICE raids really about immigration issues? Chris Cuomo doesn't think that's the full story. Instead, he suggests they're a coordinated effort to recruit as many people and different types of groups with different ideas, but one common goal — to destroy the country. Cuomo says the protests are fed by dark sources with a desire for the destruction of the U.S. He dives into how deep the backing for these protests go and potential ties to a Chinese communist group. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.