On June 22, Senator Phil King appeared on “Fox and Friends” to discuss Texas’ initiative to restore the Ten Commandments in schools. The interview focused on the debate surrounding the display of the Ten Commandments, with proponents viewing it as a historical acknowledgment and opponents deeming it unconstitutional.
King expressed his disappointment that Texas was not the first state to take this step, noting that Louisiana's governor had already reinstated the Ten Commandments in schools. Texas Lieutenant Governor supports the initiative and vows to push the Ten Commandments bill again in the next legislative session. King believes that overturning previous court decisions could pave the way for greater religious liberty.
King emphasized his commitment to reintroducing the Ten Commandments display bill in the Texas Senate. “Last year, I passed the Ten Commandments bill in the Texas Senate. While it wasn’t brought up for a vote in the Texas House, we will file it again when we reconvene in January 2025,” King stated. He expressed hope that newly elected House members would help pass the bill this time.
King argued that the Ten Commandments are an integral part of American history and law. "Few documents have had a bigger impact on Western civilization than the Ten Commandments," he said. "If you don’t know the Ten Commandments, you don’t know the basis for much of American history and law."
King highlighted that the Ten Commandments were commonly displayed in public buildings and schools until 1980 when the Supreme Court halted the practice in Stone v. Graham, relying on the 1971 case Lemon v. Kurtzman. The Supreme Court overturned Lemon in 2022 in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, which King sees as an opportunity to reinstate the Ten Commandments in schools. He praised Louisiana's leadership on this issue and expressed optimism that Texas would soon follow suit.