A Clinton-appointed federal judge has halted the Texas law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, claiming the measure violates the First Amendment by promoting religious coercion.
The ruling comes just days before the law was set to take effect on September 1.
The law, known as Senate Bill 10, was signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott earlier this year. It required every public school classroom to feature a large, durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments, measuring at least 16 by 20 inches, in a “conspicuous place.”
Supporters argued that the Commandments represent foundational moral principles that have shaped American law and society, serving as a reminder of values like honesty, respect, and responsibility.
The judge wrote in his 55-page decision that, “Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do.”
“[T]he displays are 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 background and beliefs while at school.”
Biery added, “There is also insufficient evidence of a broader tradition of using the Ten Commandments in public education, and there is no tradition of permanently displaying the Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms. There are ways in which students could be taught any relevant history of the Ten Commandments without the state selecting an official version of scripture, approving it in state law, and then displaying it in every classroom on a permanent basis.”
Plaintiff Rabbi Mara Nathan, the original plaintiff in the lawsuit, celebrated the decision, saying, “As a rabbi and public school parent, I welcome this ruling. Children’s religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said that he will appeal the ruling.
“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. Texas will always defend our right to uphold the foundational principles that have built this nation, and I will absolutely be appealing this flawed decision,” Paxton said in a statement.
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