Students From Giles High School In Va. Defy School Board, Post Ten Commandments (VIDEO)

UPDATE: Since this story was first posted, it has been clarified that Giles High School is in Virginia, not West Virginia. The article has been updated to reflect the change.

When it comes to expressing religious beliefs, students at a Virginia school don't want to play by the rules.

After a large posting of the Ten Commandments was removed for the second time from a Giles High School wall, kids began hanging the Commandments on their lockers, WVVA reports. Students of other religions began posting their beliefs as a response, a move that kids say has caused some tension.

"The students that want them taken down -- they got mad about the people who want them up. And it almost broke out into a physical fight because someone called someone else an atheist."

The Ten Commandments wall posting was removed after parents contacted Freedom From Religion, which threatened to sue the school board. The Madison, Wisc.-based organization said they'd be be monitoring the school -- in conjunction with the ACLU of Virginia -- to make sure they don't re-post.

WATCH:

Comments

[AMCD]

04:52 PM on 03/07/2011

When "Christians" get all bent out of shape over the Ten Commandments then you know they don't understand their own religion.

When Jesus died for our sins he made a new contract with us. The old contract, the Ten Commandments was replaced.

God had realized that no person could make it into heaven under the rules of the Ten Commandments.

That is why God sent his only Son to live amongst us. So that he could live a human life and understand our human condition. It is why Jesus said, "..no one gets into heaven but through me".
He didn't say "..no one gets into heaven but through the Ten Commandments".

These children did not get this idea all by themselves. There are "adults" behind this.

What is really upsetting is the unchristian like behavior, the hatred of non believers and other religions.

[A Radical Moderate]

09:53 AM on 03/07/2011

Where are the Tea Partiers? In Virginia there is in fact a separation of church and state. It's called the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedoms and was authored/voted for by our founding fathers (specifially Jefferson). These girls are going against our founding fathers original intent.

[michaelmr]

04:30 PM on 03/07/2011

In Virginia there is a Free Exercise Clause. It was authored/v­oted for by our founding fathers.

[shantanum78]

10:21 PM on 03/05/2011

I bet there was a very "boring" science or math class, and the students decided to have fun.

I'm sure this was valuable experience for the real world.

[OliverTwist]

02:17 PM on 03/05/2011

The students may be seeking to act as volunteer agents for the school administration allowing the administration authorize the posting of the ten commandments by surrogates since are forbidden from doing so themselves.

This constitutes quibbling - a form of deceit - and a violation of the ten commandments.

They really should stop their lying ways and get straight.

[Kevin Zielke]

10:41 AM on 03/05/2011

I'm an atheist and i believe that if they want to a kid can put something for their religion on their locker as long as it's not school sanctioned. Also it can not be a text that discriminates against others like the scriptures promoting slavery and the stoning of homosexuals.
However, im curious on how these students would react if someone put up the satanist commandments on their locker, i doubt they'd be as accepting to that.

[EmmaDarian]

11:11 AM on 03/05/2011

They weren't, though I don't know specifically if those examples were posted. But the problem wasn't the Christian kids putting up the Ten Commandments. The trouble only began when other kids started putting up their own religious beliefs.

And I get where those kids got the idea that their beliefs are privileged at that school. They are. The school board voted to put the big display of the Ten Commandments back because of their "moral obligation to reinforce the teachings of God" and has a school district-run "Bible Bus" to take the kids of campus in the middle of the day for Christian instruction, then return them.

[McHale Ann Haiman]

04:32 AM on 03/05/2011

Maybe they are just posting them as reminders to themselves, I had quotes written on pieces of paper taped up in my locker and I had pictures of things I liked, it made school more tolerable for me. They aren't large enough to be read by all the people roaming the hallways. I noticed posters on or in peoples lockers, but unless I spent time at their locker, I didn't know what they were. They aren't saying "By posting these, we expect you to believe this". They should be allowed to post those things for themselves, just like I assume others would be allowed to. The gods love us all and there is no shame in showing our love for them.

[RainbowPhoenix]

04:44 AM on 03/05/2011

So why did they throw a temper tantrum when other students started doing the same thing?

[ROBOT8]

01:20 AM on 03/05/2011

the jesus police are coming! you will believe as i do or burn in my personally aproved hell

[RainbowPhoenix]

10:57 PM on 03/04/2011

Could someone explain how we're supposed to report abusive profiles with the new system?

[Js420]

10:34 PM on 03/04/2011

bet the parents of these kids encouraged their behavior

[Js420]

10:27 PM on 03/04/2011

They are all atheist in regards to others religion

[B 42]

12:46 AM on 03/06/2011

Amen! Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Stephen Roberts:

“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”

Maybe some one should post this on their locker!

[Folk Hero]

10:06 PM on 03/04/2011

Rational, thinking people are not believers. The most backward, uneducated people I know are the most dedicated to their religion. Studies show that religious people know less about their religion than Atheists and Agnostics do.

[AMCD]

04:34 PM on 03/07/2011

I am a rational thinking person. I believe in science and I believe in God. They are not mutually exclusive. I object to your generalization. Although I agree that there are many "Christians" who misinterpret the Bible and who are very un-Christian like. We are not all fundies. We are not all hypocrites. The Christians who go about their lives without forcing their moral beliefs on others and who do not hold hate in their hearts rarely make headline news.

[penguinandfriend]

09:45 PM on 03/04/2011

Ahh, the Ten Commandments, how cute. Man goes up a mountain alone for a very long time leaving his people at it's base. Man somehow speaks to God, alone, at the top of a mountain. This god, over the course of years on the mountain engraved the Commandments, a system of law wonderful in its simplicity, into a tablet. All this, over years on a mountain alone...oh Moses, how cute. Maybe these kids want to take an experiential learning trip through the innards of a wale?

[Aroon]

02:49 PM on 03/04/2011

Defying authorities for religion, but not for the lack of education funds. These students really know their priorities!!

[sam robert]

03:42 PM on 03/04/2011

Yes, they do. Specifically, they put their God first, as it should be.

[RainbowPhoenix]

03:59 PM on 03/04/2011

They defy their god by ignoring his edicts to pray privately and render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.

[sam robert]

04:37 PM on 03/04/2011

God wants us to communicate his word to others. Why would he not? Would he prefer that only Godless rebels have the podium? I think not.

[bessielil]

12:52 PM on 03/04/2011

Want to rattle anyone who talks about THE ten commandments? Show them how the script they are using is a VERSION of the ten commandments.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_10c4.htm

I'm much more concerned about this: "The district also runs a so-called "Bible Bus" so that students can get privately organized Christian instruction off site during the middle of the school day."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021707241.html

[EmmaDarian]

01:15 PM on 03/04/2011

I've been posting about that bus since I read this story yesterday. I am soooo glad that the ACLU is looking into this.

[bessielil]

02:14 PM on 03/04/2011

From personal perspective, when I was in HS and almost everyone but (me and Arlene) were Catholic, school let out early for Catholics so they could go to CCD classes once a week. We had to stay in our home room doing homework. When I think about those days, that included a morning prayer (Catholic version of Lord's Prayer) and being required to memorize the beatitudes, I just shake my head that we accepted it. After all, we didn't want to get into trouble. Our parents would never cause a fuss. It was awful. Public school. Northeast.

[michaelmr]

04:18 PM on 03/07/2011

Apparently there is a VERSION of the Constitution that reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," but it is rarely seen these days.

[Zyzan]

10:23 AM on 03/04/2011

Why is it anytime something really controversial about religion or gay rights or abortion its ALWAYS my state! Blah I am ashamed of this state...

[sam robert]

11:30 AM on 03/04/2011

No, you reject the Bible as God's word communicated to fallen humanity.

[Jason N]

11:34 AM on 03/04/2011

Explain how God, a perfect omnipotent and all knowing being, contradicts himself in the very first book of the Bible (Genesis). There are two accounts of the creation, and the orders are not the same. Likewise, the Bible seems to indicate that the Earth is flat and is the center of the universe. How could God, who created all, not know this simple astrological fact and relay it properly to man?

[TBJ]

11:40 AM on 03/04/2011

Hey, you leave Snivy alone.

Please understand that not everyone is your religion. And you cannot force a religion on a person.

[Livin in Spin]

12:58 PM on 03/04/2011

At least you're not from Arizona!

[Zyzan]

01:11 PM on 03/04/2011

That's not saying much Arizona may be backwards but our Governor and our Attorney General are massive Culture Warriors who want to impose their christian beliefs on EVERYONE... It sickens me.