In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Shawn Carney, the President and CEO of 40 Days for Life, commended Texas lawmakers for advancing a bill that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across the state. This legislation, which has passed both chambers of the state Legislature and is awaiting Governor Greg Abbott’s signature, requires that each classroom feature a version of the Ten Commandments at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, ensuring it is legible from any point in the room. If signed into law, this mandate will come into effect during the 2025–26 school year. Carney characterized the initiative as a positive development for moral education, positing that the Ten Commandments serve as a moral compass that transcends individual belief systems.
Carney, who leads a global pro-life organization active in 64 countries, connected this legislative move to a wider cultural shift. His organization promotes a campaign focused on ending abortion through community engagement, prayer, and peaceful vigils outside abortion clinics. He expressed that acknowledging the value of life aligns with promoting the principles embedded in the Ten Commandments, which he argues are fundamentally good and beneficial for society. Carney’s perspective emphasizes the importance of moral frameworks in schools, aligning these teachings with broader notions of right and wrong.
Addressing potential constitutional issues, Carney defended the legislation against claims that it violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. He pointed out historical references to Moses in the U.S. Capitol as a precedent for including religious symbols in public institutions without controversy. Arguing that the original intent of the separation of church and state was to safeguard religious freedoms rather than eliminate religious influences, he highlighted recent federal actions perceived as encroachments on religious liberty. Carney cited the Biden administration’s attempts to mandate that Catholic healthcare providers perform procedures against their beliefs as indicative of a need for stronger protections for religious organizations.
Framing the bill within a larger societal context, Carney critiqued what he perceives as a decline in moral clarity due to a “woke mentality.” He described schools as increasingly violent environments in need of ethical guidance like that provided by the Ten Commandments. He contended that exposure to these commandments should be accessible even to those who do not believe in God, countering the notion that such teachings are outdated. He sees the legislation as a necessary corrective measure, asserting that addressing this perceived moral vacuum in education meets pressing societal needs.
Despite a prior Supreme Court decision that struck down a similar law in 1980 (Stone v. Graham), Carney expressed optimism that Texas’s initiative would withstand legal challenges, especially under a potentially more favorable Supreme Court composition. He believes this moment presents an opportunity to reaffirm the cultural relevance of the Ten Commandments and offers Texas as a pioneering example for other states considering similar measures. The implications of the bill could extend beyond Texas, as Carney envisions a future where more states adopt comparable legislation to bolster moral education across the nation.
As a result of this legislative effort, Texas would join Louisiana and Arkansas in requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Supporters of the bill emphasize that these commandments represent fundamental ethical guidelines, while opponents raise concerns about constitutional challenges in federal courts. Carney maintains that the Ten Commandments offer universal principles that contribute to virtue, truth, and moral clarity, and he advocates for their inclusion as an essential part of education to strengthen community values and foster a more principled society.
