Maury County Public Schools is the latest district in Tennessee to pass a resolution allowing the display of the Ten Commandments inside schools, following the recent passage of a state law that has raised constitutional concerns.
The school board voted on Oct. 13 to pass a resolution allowing the display of certain “historical documents”—including the Ten Commandments — inside county public schools.
The motion comes after a state law allowing Tennessee school districts to display the Ten Commandments and other key founding documents such as the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, the Tennessee Constitution or the U.S. Constitution — all of which are already allowed to be displayed in schools — in a “prominent location” inside schools.
The displays are required to have the entirety of the Ten Commandments, while only displaying the first sentence of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, and the preamble of the U.S. Constitution.
A coalition of national civil liberties groups sent letters with records requests to Blount County, Rutherford County, Washington County, White County, and Wilson County school districts seeking further information.
Multiple lawsuits across the country against similar laws, including in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana, are being helmed by the same coalition.
A federal judge ruled favorably for the group in Arkansas last August, barring several Arkansas school districts from implementing what the judge described as a “plainly unconstitutional” state law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in their classrooms and libraries.
The judge noted that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a “nearly identical” law in Kentucky in 1980, and called the effort a likely “coordinated strategy among several states to inject Christian religious doctrine into public-school classrooms.”
Ten Commandments could nix need for school counselors, says board member
Approval of Maury County’s signage took around 10 minutes, following nearly 30 minutes of discussion over whether the school district could afford to contract more school counselors.
One school board member said that the display of the Ten Commandments could negate the need for mental health professionals.
“I think now is the time for us to take a stand in our school systems,” said board member Lesa Webster-Dawson. “Maybe if we take a stand now, we won’t have to have these school counselors in our school system the way that we need them."
Two board members expressed concern over the motion, with board member Susan Stephenson noting a letter sent by the school attorney that warned of legal concerns, as well as the previous Tennessean reporting on the coalition’s records requests.
“There are a number of concerns (in that letter) that I think we can’t overlook,” she said, later adding “Based on this memorandum, despite whatever action the state legislature has taken, it does not negate our liability.”
Board member Jamila Brown agreed. “If we’re worried about an additional $150,000 to pay two councilors…then I would definitely be concerned about multiple lawsuits,” she said.
Board member Kathy Mikula pushed back on worries, stating that “our legislators fought for it, studied it, understand what they’re doing.”
“I don’t think they would put us in a compromising situation,” she said. “I want to take courage and go forward.”
The state of Tennessee has been sued at least six times this year over laws passed in 2026, according to an analysis by the Tennessee Lookout.
The Maury County motion passed 9-2.
Angele Latham’s role covering First Amendment issues at The Tennessean is made possible by a collaboration among Freedom Forum, Journalism Funding Partners and the USA TODAY Network. Freedom Forum does not provide editorial input. Reach Angele Latham at alatham@gannett.com, on X at @angele_latham and on TikTok at @angelelatham.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Maury Co. schools approve Ten Commandments sign amid legal concerns
