Polygraph

James Tallarico stated that putting the Ten Commandments on school walls and teaching the Bible to young students is deeply immoral.

Posted by The Michael Berry Show, Checked

Polygraph verdictTrue
Sources
6 support2 context
Said
1 time·
Confidence
50%
The Michael Berry ShowAug 18, 2026
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25 claimsThe check →

Talarico's documented statements from 2023 and 2025 call the Ten Commandments classroom-display mandate 'deeply un-Christian,' 'un-American,' and 'idolatrous,' which supports the core of the claim that he strongly condemned it on moral and religious grounds. The sources never use the word 'immoral,' and none shows him calling Bible teaching to young students immoral, so the wording is a paraphrase.

The host relays this claim without endorsing it. It counts as passed on, not against the post.

This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.

What was said

… aforementioned James Tallarico, who was pushed on Texans as he's a he's a minister, he went to seminary he was caught on a podcast with a transgender, Christian hating quote unquote Christian pastor, talking about how he's a Christian who hates Christianity. Well, now he says, now he says, putting the Ten Commandments on the walls of the schools and teaching the Bible to young people, that is deeply immoral. One is maybe the most insidious. It was a new state curriculum that would teach Christian Bible stories as historical fact, as the only truth, to our youngest students. I mean, kindergarten, first graders. …
The Michael Berry Show · · from the transcriptPost →

What we found

Supports. Talarico said the Ten Commandments display bill was 'deeply un-Christian,' 'unconstitutional,' 'un-American,' and 'idolatrous' at a May 2023 committee hearing.[3][4][5]

Supports. Talarico repeated the 'deeply unchristian' characterization on CNN in May 2025, linking the bill to the core teachings of Christianity.[6]

Supports. Talarico has criticized state efforts to teach Bible material in public schools, saying 'I don't want politicians and bureaucrats teaching my faith.'[7][8]

Contradicts. No source uses the word 'immoral' or says Talarico called these practices immoral; the sources describe his objection as religious and constitutional, not moral.[3][4][6]

Context. The FactCheck.org and AP sources describe the broader state Ten Commandments and Bible-instruction debate but do not record Talarico's characterization.[1][2]

Sources

8 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 6 not rated

  1. 1State laws are putting the Ten Commandments in public ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
  2. 2Posts Misrepresent States' Efforts to Teach the Bible in Public Schools - FactCheck.orgfactcheck.org · fact-checker · cited for: context
  3. 3Texas lawmaker: Ten Commandments in schools 'deeply un-Christian'christianpost.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
  4. 4Texas Democrat slams requiring schools to display Ten ... - ABC 33/40abc3340.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
  5. 5Texas Democrat slams requiring schools to display Ten ... - KTULktul.com · not rated · cited for: supports
  6. 6TX lawmaker rips 'deeply unchristian' class Ten ...alternet.org · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
  7. 7Texas Senate Candidates Embrace Christianity, But ... - Yahooyahoo.com · not rated · cited for: supports
  8. 8Texas Senate Candidates Embrace Christianity, But ...the74million.org · not rated · cited for: supports

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