One West Texas school is being forced to cover up a painting of the Ten Commandments after receiving a letter threatening legal action against the small school district.
O’Donnell ISD Superintendent Dr. Cathy Amonett says she received a letter from the “Freedom From Religion Foundation” complaining about the painting. In the letter, the group threatens to sue the school district if the painting is not removed.
It’s not the first time the organization has threatened a Texas school. In 2012 they filed a complaint and kicked off a high-profile legal battle against high school and middle school cheerleaders in Kountze for featuring Bible verses on their signs and banners.
Four years later, the case is still not completely resolved.
Back at O’Donnell ISD, students frustrated at the covering of the display have started a protest of their own.
“Students have put verses on sticky notes just around the hallways and stuff. So two verses and commandments they’ve been complaining about turned into 70 verses,” junior Sebastian Pedroza told KCBD News.
The protest is drawing praise from one of the community’s lawmakers, State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), who issued a strong statement Friday afternoon:
“For years the ‘Freedom From Religion Foundation’ has fought to intimidate Christians into eliminating all public displays of faith from our society.
Last year they unsuccessfully targeted the Kountze Cheerleaders and the Childress Police Department. Today, they are threatening O’Donnell High School with a lawsuit over their display of the Ten Commandments.
I am proud of the hundreds of students at O’Donnell that are standing up for their faith and starting a movement to save the Ten Commandments at their school. Our office is working to ensure the school is in touch with the necessary experts to explain their rights and determine a plan of action.”
