Crayons Not Commandments

On Monday, February 24th, Rev. Debra McKnight delivered testimony at the Nebraska State Capitol Building on three bills that would allow religion in public schools, including LB 691, which would require all schools to display the Ten Commandments (King James version) in every classroom, LB 122, which would require every school to display the words “In God We Trust,” and LB 549, which would allow pastors to serve as school guidance counselors.

Here is her testimony.

LB 691 (Ten Commandments)

Rev. Debra McKnight

Urban Abbey United Methodist Church

In Opposition

As a United Methodist clergy leader I believe this is a direct violation of the separation of church and state. While I value these teachings, I believe putting them on a poster in schools is a foolish use of time and energy and incredibly unwelcoming to students.

First, this version echos the early Protestant translation in the King James Bible. But there are Catholic versions and this gets to the very heart of the problem with making this poster. There are different translations and different orders, occasionally coveting is broken up, there were different orders even before Jesus was born. Honestly, there are two different places the commandments appear in the Hebrew Scriptures, both Exodus and Deuteronomy.

And while they have slight differences the two spots in the Bible and the translations, the posters are missing something important— the very foundational phrase “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage, out of slavery in Egypt.” This frames everything. It is about God’s liberation, Divine Love that will not stand by for the oppression of sacred souls.

To what end would we place this poster on a wall? Do we imagine it matters? Like someone is on a crime spree only to walk past the Ten Commandments and have a change of heart. Like, “Oh I was going to was totally going to steal that car but now I’m going to pick up a pizza and chill.” Or “I was feeling murder-y, but I just didn’t realize it was so wrong.”

The commandments belong in a context and not on a poster. They are religious education that I take responsibility for in my congregation. We could explore the Ten Commandments as Christians and doing that means looking at them the way Jesus taught folks to look at them.

When Jesus talks about following the law to religious and political leaders he calls them out. Well actually, he calls them hypocrites. Woe to you, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! -Matthew 22:23-26

We can take a look at the Ten Commandments and ask the questions Jesus might ask of us as folks are trying to live the way he lived. Like, why do folks want to invest time and money in posting the 10 commandments, but not in early childhood education, universal childcare, student loan finance reform or free and healthy school lunches? Why post the 10 commandments in schools where young people may have “other Gods” and what other ‘gods’ do Christians worship? Is it power or wealth or control?

Because when you worship power, justice looks like a sin.

LB 549 (Clergy as School Counselors)

Rev. Debra McKnight

Urban Abbey United Methodist Church

In Opposition 

I am a United Methodist Clergy woman with a Masters in Education and a Masters in Divinity. Neither of these degrees qualify me for the work of a school counselor. The guidance office offers direct care and requires professionals with passion for particular developmental ages. 

Clergy credentialing varies depending on the denomination and religious affiliation. Clergy are not universally accredited, some may have masters degrees or even doctoral degrees, while others may have a bachelor’s degree or perhaps very minimal training from a seminar for licensing. 

Clergy are not trained as therapists. We at best have a few classes about listening and trying not to harm anyone as we help them find the right resources to move them through a crisis to a healthy an happy life.

Not only are clergy not qualified for this work, but this is an obverse violation of the separation between church and state. This starts us down a dangerous path as a nation founded on law and religious liberty. Religious freedom is essential and parents of different faiths and traditions have a right to teach their own children. 

I, as a parent, send my daughter to public school and I do not consent to having another pastor teach her, interact with her or even talk with her should she need to access services from the school counselor. I suspect many of the senators at this hearing would not want me to counsel your children and grandchildren. 

Chaplains may serve in a counseling capacity at hospitals, but that work is with adults who have the agency to consent, or not, to the presence of a pastor in their hospital room. Working with vulnerable children is a whole other nuanced situation.

An appropriate way for clergy to support youth in our communities may be partnering with schools to support as needed, joining a mentoring program like Teammates and committing to being a presence of care not conversion. We need to support schools in this season of shortages in responsible, evidence-based ways. We need to commit to funding school guidance counselors with education, training, and certification.

LB 122 (In God We Trust)

Rev. Debra McKnight

Urban Abbey United Methodist Church

In Opposition 

I oppose this bill requiring folks to post “In God We Trust” in our schools. “In God we Trust” was added to currency in 1957 and to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. It was declared the national motto in 1956.

Our first motto, featured on the seal of our nation in 1776, is the Latin phrase E Pluribus unum translated as ‘Out of Many One.’ This is a far better motto with a greater history, chosen more directly by our founders and a cry for connection between states, peoples and communities to move toward a single goal of Life, liberty and justice for all. 

If we are doing this to dive into who we are as a people, Out of Many One is a far stronger message with a greater history. 

Perhaps the desire to place “In God We Trust” on plaques is a longing to go back to mid-century America or the notions we carry about that time. But the truth is the 1950’s was not a time of safety and equality for all people. Perhaps the nostalgia for that time could be better deployed if we considered the tax codes of the day, when the wealthy paid far more, and the work week structures of the day when folks really did work a 40 hour work week and had time for Rotary Club or church or bowling leagues. Perhaps what we miss in the 1950’s is not the racism and sexism and White Christian nationalism, as much as we miss an era when the wealthiest Americans paid their fair share of taxes, were proud to champion public causes and schools worked hard to educate generations of engineers, social workers, doctors and lawyers with the hope of a prosperous future.