Evening star., 1926-03-07
RABBI SCORES PLAN TO TEACH
DECALOCUE in SCHOOLS OF L. S.
Suggests Teaching Federal and State Law Rather
Than Arousing Sentiment Over Ten Command
ments-Calls Attempt Un.Amercan.

fOuTtn nOu Sndlt keep the sew
enth day holy in memory of the six
days of creation and the exodus from
| Egypt.
! Fifth. Thou shalt honor thy parents.
Sixth. Thou shalt not murder
Seventh. Thou shalt not commit
| adultery
Eighth. Thou shalt not steal.
| Ninth. Thou shalt not lie.
Tenth. Thou shalt not cover.
Great words. Simple yet enigmat-
ical, in a measure: so much so that
God thought it necessary to define. in
set terms, six of these commandments,
in Exodus. XX. and Deuteronomy, V,
lest they be misunderstood.
That code is the essence of the Jew
ish religion and. il Christianity can,
by technical Interpretation of the Trim
ity accept it also, then by teaching
this code in the public schools we
would be teaching, not a non-secre-
tartan ethics. but a monotheistic theo-
logy plus moral code whose sanction
rests on belief in the word of God.
- Must Be Confined.
I believe the teaching Of that code
is rational and necessary, but in these
United States it must. by virtue of
| be confined to the churches. syna-
gogues and homes. Such instruction
| that involves theology and religion
| should not be foisted on our public
! school system. 1t would change the
essential character of. the people 5
! schools and turn them into parochial
| schools, make them an adjunct, as II
were, Of the churches and synagogues
That must never be done in this
country, as it would violate the
fundamental principal of our Consti-
tuition, the separation of church from
State.
To introduce the decalogue as a
compulsory part of the school curri-
culum would be to invite endless
religious discussion that would re-
suit in religious prejudice and, per-
haps. bitterness. 1t would become
the entering wedge for sectarianism
The decalogue would be made the
excuse for teaching the Beatitudes
Why not? If chapter from the Old
Testament is permissible. why not
also one or more from the New? If
Jehovah can be taught in the schools
why not Jesus?
And then, why not selections from
the Koran. the Vedas and from the
Christian Science Bible (Mrs. Eddy S
kew to the Scriptures?
Therefore. ] say, it is best: it is
truly American to let the churches
take care of religion, and to confine
the public schools to secular educa-
tion-to the three "R's" and the
sciences and the arts. We must not
violate religion for the sake OF
religion. We must not break the
commandments for the sake of the
commandments.
Instead of teaching in the schools
the Ten Commandments. which in
volve religion and theology. let there
be a united effort throughout the
country to teach a graded course in
Federal and State law in all schools
and colleges, both private and public
to the end that our young people
shall grow UP thoroughly grounded in
the principles and practices of Amer
| icanism. Let the schools turn out
patriotic and law abiding Americans
and we shall not need to fear that
they will transgress the Ten Com
| mandments. But TO superimpose the
decalogue on the schools would be
, to violate true Americanism.
Copyright. 1920