Letter: School is no place for commandments

Wednesday, July 28, 1999 | 9:40 a.m.

Those simple-minded individuals who think that simply mounting these commandments on the walls of schools will alleviate evil need to step back and rethink where the responsibility for this evil alleviation truly belongs.

The two individuals who killed innocent people at Columbine High School would not have thought twice if they had passed by the poster of the commandments in the hallway. Deranged minds stop at nothing when their plans are to be carried out.

If this were something that I thought would truly help, I would be all for it. However, these commandments need to be taught to individuals and believed in their hearts. The real question here is whether the government has the right to dictate religion in the school. Absolutely not.

Take a look at the First Amendment in the Constitution of the United States. Congress cannot endorse any kind of religion. The need for a division between state and religion must remain.

We must take a stand now for the protection of our rights. Enough with the creative twisting of the Constitution every time something new comes up.

The religious development of our children must be kept at the level of the parents and their religious leaders.

CINDY SMITH