Topline
A Texas law requiring the state’s public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments could violate First Amendment rights, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, temporarily blocking Texas schools from posting the religious directives in class.
A six-foot high tablet of the Ten Commandments located on the grounds of the Texas Capitol Building in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images)
Corbis via Getty Images
Key Facts
U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery wrote in a ruling Wednesday the Texas law is “likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State’s favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious backgrounds.”
Biery also said the Ten Commandments law crosses the line from exposure to coercion, adding children can be “cruel” to classmates who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments and are perceived to be “the other.”
The plaintiffs, made up of public school parents and their children, argued the Ten Commandments law violated the Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from establishing or sponsoring a religion.
The law was signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in June and was slated to go into effect Sept. 1.
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What To Watch For
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed to appeal Biery’s ruling, saying in a statement the Ten Commandments “are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship.”
What Other States Might Require Ten Commandments In Public Schools?
Last year, Louisiana became the first state to pass a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms. The law was set to go into effect this year but has been embattled in court since its approval. In June, three federal appellate judges said the law was unconstitutional. Louisiana is planning to make an appeal in the case, which could make its way to the Supreme Court. Florida lawmakers have also tried to institute a similar Ten Commandments law, though it has not successfully made its way through the legislature.
Key Background
President Donald Trump said in June that Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law could be “the first major step in the revival of religion” in the U.S., suggesting in a Truth Social post he would like to see the religious text in public and private schools. While the Ten Commandments have not largely found their way into public classrooms, many states have passed or attempted to pass legislation that incorporates teachings from the Bible into curriculum. A 2023 Louisiana law mandates all public classrooms to display “In God We Trust” posters or framed documents. Oklahoma issued a mandate last year requiring state classrooms in fifth to 12th grade to incorporate the Bible into academic lessons. Texas and Florida also have laws allowing religious chaplains to serve as counselors in public schools without being licensed.
Further Reading
Trump Loves ‘Ten Commandments In Public Schools’: Says Louisiana Law Could Be ‘Major Step’ In Religion Revival (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/08/20/federal-judge-blocks-texas-law-requiring-ten-commandments-in-public-school-classrooms/