A row broke out in the Texas legislature on Saturday when one politician accused another of religious hypocrisy over a plan to compel schools to display a poster of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Ahead of the final vote on Sunday, former teacher James Talarico, a Democratic state representative, pointed out that the bill’s sponsor, Candy Noble, a Republican, had actually broken a commandment by compelling the House to work on the Sabbath.
“Do you think that members of the legislature should focus more on trying to follow the Ten Commandments rather than telling others to follow them?” he quipped in the Texas House.
Newsweek has emailed Noble and Talarico seeking comment.
Why It Matters
The issue of religion in schools has long been a contentious subject.
As a deeply conservative state, Texas lawmakers have often attempted to embed Christian teachings into the educational system. In November last year, Texas approved a new curriculum that allows elementary schools to incorporate Bible teachings into some other subjects’ lessons.
This weekend’s vote on a new mandate requiring classrooms to display a poster of the Ten Commandments is a further step along the same road.
Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images
What To Know
Legal wrangling in Texas over the issue of the Ten Commandments in schools dates back to 2023, but Senate Bill 10 finally received preliminary approval when lawmakers voted 88-49 in its favor this weekend.
Talarico, a Christian who is currently studying for a master’s qualification at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, vehemently opposed the mandate, which was sponsored by a fellow Christian, Republican State Representative Noble.
Noble, who represents the city of Lucas district, said she introduced the bill because the “way we treat others in our society come from the principles found in the Ten Commandments. In these days of courtroom mayhem, it’s time to return to the truths, to the fabric of our educational system. Respect authority. Respect others. Don’t steal. Tell the truth. Don’t kill. Keep your word.”
But her most vocal opponent, Talarico, who represents Austin, has argued that religion in this context is coercive and exclusionary—and he claims it’s unchristian too.
Talarico’s witty takedown of Noble, in which he forced her to admit that she was actively breaking one of the commandments she was so keen for others to follow, went viral after he posted footage of the encounter on his Instagram page. It has so far received more than 202,000 thousands likes.
During the debate on Saturday, Talarico asked Noble: “What is the Fourth Commandment?” She had to consult first her own notes and then a neighbor’s notes to reply: “Keep the Sabbath…”
“Part of keeping the Sabbath holy is not working on the Sabbath?” Talarico asked, to which Noble agreed. He then asked her about the dates of the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian Sabbath and she correctly replied Saturday for Judaism, while Christians’ holy day is Sunday, “in honor of the day that Jesus rose form the dead.”
He noted that they were working on Saturday and were due to vote on the bill on Sunday.
“It’s ironic, isn’t it?” she said with a tight smile.
“Would you be willing to postpone your bill so that we’re not breaking the Ten Commandments by working on the Jewish or Christian Sabbath?” he asked. His pointed question drew some cheers and applause from elsewhere in the chamber.
“I love that you said that!” she replied.
“You’re saying that you’d rather tell people to follow the Ten Commandments than follow it yourself?” he asked.
“I would have rather have had this bill passed the other day when it was time,” she said. But later added: “So again, this bill is about honoring our historical, educational, and judicial heritage with the displaying of the Ten Commandments.”
Talarico also suggested that legislators may also have broken other commandments, by lying, or by committing adultery.
“Do you think that members of the legislature should focus more on trying to follow the Ten Commandments rather than telling others to follow them?” Talarico asked Noble on Saturday.
“I am, I am, um, you know, it is incumbent on all of us to follow God’s law,” she replied.
It was not the first time the pair have clashed on the issue.
Footage from the chamber posted on his Instagram page on January 19 last year, showed him saying to Noble: “I know you’re a devout Christian, as am I. But this bill to me is not only unconstitutional, it’s not only un-American, I think it is also deeply unchristian. And I say that because I believe this bill is idolatrous, I believe it is exclusionary, and I believe it is arrogant…those are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus…
“Instead of bringing a bill that will feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, we’re instead mandating that people put up a poster.” He added that the Bible teaches “love your neighbor” and suggested the mandate was not very loving to students of other religions, or those with none, who were also sitting in Texas classrooms.
That exchange also went viral and has now gained more than 5 million views on X (formerly Twitter).
In any case, despite their long-running dispute, ultimately other lawmakers sided with Noble and the bill was passed at the weekend.
What People Are Saying
Several people commented on Talarico’s video to declare their support for his attempt to block the policy.
An Instagram user with the handle joyshel5, who didn’t provide a profile but whose account features scripture and family photos, wrote: “Keep religion out of public school!”
Another Instagram user, a digital content creator with the handle luvalution, also voiced support for Talarico, writing: “Thank you James for being progressive for us all in Texas. Let’s get this overturned.”
Another, mayafash_art, a stylist whose page features anti-Trump memes, asked: “Isn’t this unconstitutional? Separation of church and state?”
But elsewhere, other online users backed Noble’s cause.
An X user by the name of Tammi Daniels, whose profile describes herself as a “retired nurse, wife, mother, Christian,” supported the move to display the commandments in schools. “Good!” she wrote. “We had them up in Texas classrooms during the 70s. We even said the Pledge, a silent prayer and a morning devotional every morning. They should have never been taken out.”
While another X user under the handle Cosmo Kramer, who did not provide a profile, suggested: “Our whole country should follow this.”
An X user with the account name “Nelle,” who does not provide a bio, also supported the move, saying: “Children need a good moral compass.”
What Happens Next
Senate Bill 10 will now progress back to the Senate for concurrence before heading to the desk of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law.
