Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Texas Law Requiring the Ten Commandments in Classrooms

Austin, Texas — A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction blocking the enforcement of a controversial new Texas law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms in 11 Texas school districts. The law, enacted as Senate Bill 10 and signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 21, 2025, would require each classroom to display a donated poster of the Ten Commandments, sized at least 16 by 20 inches, prominently visible to students.

Key Ruling Highlights:

• Legal Concern Over Religious Favoritism
  U.S. District Judge Fred Biery ruled that the law “favors Christianity over other faiths,” lacks religious neutrality, and potentially undermines families’ “exercise of their sincere religious or nonreligious beliefs in substantial ways.” He noted that inserting scripture into classrooms through legislative mandate “crosses the line from exposure to coercion.”

• Scope Limited to Specific Districts
  The injunction applies only to the eleven school districts named in the lawsuit. Other districts are not part of the temporary order.

• State Response and Appeal Intentions
  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, defending the law, described the notion of church-state separation as a “bogus claim,” and drew on the Ten Commandments as foundational to American legal and moral heritage. He has already filed an appeal and requested that the full appellate court review the case, rather than a typical three-judge panel.

Background of Senate Bill 10:

• Passage and Content
  Authored by Sen. Phil King, SB 10 passed along party lines in May 2025 and was signed into law the following month. It requires every public school classroom in Texas to display the Ten Commandments in a large, easily readable format.

• Legal Precedents
  The law faces significant legal challenges due to prior rulings, such as Louisiana’s similar legislation being struck down as unconstitutional for violating the Establishment Clause. Texas lawmakers have dismissed these precedents as irrelevant to the constitutional authority to honor moral heritage.

• Litigation and Advocacy
  Civil liberties groups—including ACLU affiliates, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation—are leading the legal challenge, supported by families across differing religious and nonreligious backgrounds, underscoring the law’s infringement on religious freedom and educational neutrality.

Looking Ahead:

• The case is now on appeal. If upheld, the injunction could serve as a precedent to limit similar legislation in districts across Texas. If overturned, the law could go forward unless further challenged, likely reaching higher appeals or even the U.S. Supreme Court.