Bills Seek 10 Commandments, Prayers in Schools

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Alabama lawmakers are proposing a multitude of school prayer and religious expression bills this session.

Legislators say the bills are an effort to push back efforts to squash all vestiges of religion from the public square. But opponents called the bills election-year pandering and said the proposals are either unnecessary or unconstitutional.

Republican Rep. Steve Hurst has proposed setting aside up to 15 minutes at the start of each school day to study the procedures of Congress, including having teachers give a verbatim reading of a congressional opening prayer.

The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the display of the Ten Commandments in schools and other public buildings.