A Virginia House of Delegates committee modified and then approved a bill Monday, establishing guidelines for the posting of the Ten Commandments and other historical texts in schools.
Facing strong objection, Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Fauquier, altered the bill, saying he believed school children should see the commandments as part of "the transcendental values of a lawful society."
According to the bill, the Ten Commandments would be posted along with parts of the Declaration of Independence, the Virginia Constitution and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Lingamfelter added the three non-religious texts after opponents argued the bill was unconstitutional.
He said the bill is not religious, but instead it allows schools to show historical elements that underlie the legal system of the United States.
The bill passed despite an appeal from Jewish groups who disagreed with the secularization of the commandments, arguing that they were holy texts. Prof. Michael Wolf of the University of Richmond represented a number of Jewish organizations, saying that many believe the Ten Commandments are of divine origin.
The Supreme Court previously has ruled against similar efforts to group the Ten Commandments with historical texts and mandate their posting in schools. In 1980, the court overturned a Kentucky law requiring that a copy of the commandments be posted in every classroom.
Reynolds Comm. College to cap attendance
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, located outside of Richmond, recently announced it will cap attendance for the first time ever.
Because of a 3 percent state budget cut and revised state funding policy, the school no longer will be able to accept anyone who wants to attend.
Currently there are 6,400 students enrolled at Reynolds, up 12 percent from last year, and administrators expect a similar jump next year. The financial troubles now will force them to cap attendance at 6,000.
The state provides funding for 5,048 students and tuition covers the remaining costs. Tuition, however, cannot make up for shrinking state funding.
College President S.A. Burnette said Reynolds was forced to choose between lowering quality standards and cutting students. Reynolds already has cut pay to teachers and eliminated several programs.
Other Virginia community colleges are facing the same problem. Northern Virginia Community College, the state's largest with 24,000 students enrolled, has been forced to cut programs and increase class sizes over the past year.
Texas A&M will not have annual bonfire
Texas A&M President Ray M. Bowen announced today that the tradition of constructing a giant bonfire will not resume this year.
Bowen cited continuing fears of legal liability and excessive costs as the main factors behind the decision.
Texas A&M has not built the bonfire for the past two years. The tradition was suspended after the prepared pile of logs collapsed November 18, 1999, killing 12 and injuring 27.
Bowen previously had left the possibility of continuing the bonfire tradition open for 2002, providing the bonfire was constructed by a licensed contractor and supervised by the university. He did not rule out the possibility of a bonfire in 2003.
A survey last month showed that over 90 percent of the student body favored reinstating the bonfire this year. Bowen expressed personal disappointment for having to cancel the bonfire.
-Compiled by Nick Chapin
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