Texas school districts can't put the Ten Commandments in every classroom, judge says
Texas is the third state to have a Ten Commandments law blocked by a court.
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News18
an hour ago
- News18
US Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law Requiring Display Of Ten Commandments In Schools
Last Updated: The ruling comes as a victory for a coalition of families and civil liberties groups who argued that the law violates the constitutional separation of church and state A United States federal judge has issued a temporary block on a new Texas law that would mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. The ruling comes as a victory for a coalition of families and civil liberties groups who argued that the law violates the constitutional separation of church and state. US District Judge Fred Biery, in a detailed 55-page ruling, granted a preliminary injunction against the law, which was set to take effect on September 1. The lawsuit was filed by families of diverse religious and nonreligious backgrounds, including Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Unitarian Universalist parents, who claimed that the law infringed upon the First Amendment's protections for religious freedom. Victory for religious freedom in Texas. A federal judge halted the law forcing the Ten Commandments into every public school classroom—a bill we and our TX constituents fought hard against. No child should feel pressured to adopt a state-favored religion. — Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) August 20, 2025 Judge Biery's decision highlighted that while the Ten Commandments might not be actively taught, their permanent display in a 'captive audience" setting like a classroom would likely pressure students into religious observance and raise questions that teachers would feel compelled to answer. He wrote that such a mandate would 'impermissibly take sides on theological questions and officially favor Christian denominations over others". The ruling also noted that the specific version of the commandments required by the law differs from those of some other faiths, creating an exclusionary message. The ruling has been hailed as a major win by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Hindu American Foundation. They argue that public schools are for 'educating, not evangelising". Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has defended the law, called the ruling 'flawed" and has announced plans to appeal. The case is part of a broader legal battle in the US, with similar laws in Louisiana and Arkansas also having been blocked by courts. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Separation of church and state tested again as Texas' classroom Ten Commandments law stalls
Texas' latest attempt to bring religion directly into public school classrooms has hit a judicial roadblock. According to the Associated Press , a federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the state's requirement that every public school classroom display the Ten Commandments, marking the third time in recent months that such a law has been halted by the courts. The law, set to go into effect on September 1, was challenged by Dallas-area families and faith leaders, who argued that it violated the First Amendment. They pointed to the clause guaranteeing separation of church and state, as well as the right to free religious exercise. What are the Ten Commandments? The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical principles found in the Old Testament, primarily in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. They include directives such as honoring one's parents, keeping the Sabbath, prohibiting theft, lying, adultery, murder, and worship of other gods. For Jewish and Christian traditions, they represent core moral and religious teachings. In American debates, they are often invoked both as a symbol of faith and as a claimed foundation for aspects of the legal system. A sweeping order and a symbolic ending In a 55-page ruling, US District Judge Fred Biery of San Antonio sided with the plaintiffs. Quoting the First Amendment at the beginning and signing off with the word 'Amen,' Biery underscored the weight of the decision. He noted that while the law did not explicitly require teaching the Ten Commandments, it would inevitably pull teachers into religious discussions. '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,' Biery wrote, as reported by AP . The lawsuit named the Texas Education Agency, state education Commissioner Mike Morath, and three Dallas-area school districts as defendants. Part of a wider legal fight Texas is not alone in pursuing this path. According to AP, earlier this year, Louisiana became the first state to mandate that classrooms display the Ten Commandments. But in June, a panel of three federal appellate judges ruled that law unconstitutional. Arkansas faced similar resistance; a judge there blocked four school districts from putting up the posters, and other districts have chosen not to display them at all. Civil liberties groups see these rulings as major victories in protecting constitutional boundaries. Yet AP notes that the Texas case is unlikely to end here. With deep-pocketed support from conservative and religious groups, the fight is expected to move through appeals and could ultimately reach the US Supreme Court. Tradition VS constitutional boundaries Supporters of the Texas law argue that the Ten Commandments are not just religious scripture but also a historic cornerstone of the nation's legal and educational systems. They point to Texas' own Capitol grounds, where a Ten Commandments monument has stood since winning a Supreme Court case in 2005. 'The Ten Commandments are part of the foundation of our judicial system,' conservative groups argue, framing the display as cultural rather than doctrinal, as reported by AP . Opponents counter that such laws blur lines between state and religion in ways the Constitution explicitly forbids. For teachers, as Judge Biery observed, the presence of these posters could force religious conversations in classrooms that are meant to serve diverse student bodies. What lies ahead Friday's ruling has slowed Texas' push, but AP reports that it is likely just one battle in a much larger war over religion in public spaces. The symbolic stakes are high: conservatives see the Ten Commandments as reclaiming cultural heritage, while civil liberties advocates see them as a breach of constitutional protections. In this courtroom clash, the meaning of the First Amendment is being tested yet again — and the final word, many believe, will come from the highest court in the land. (with AP inputs) TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Texas can't require public schools to display Ten Commandments in class, judge rules
Texas cannot require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said on Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state's new requirement, making it the third such state law to be blocked by a court. A group of Dallas-area families and faith leaders sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on 1 September. They say the requirement violates the first amendment's protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise. Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and US district judge Fred Biery's ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that's expected to eventually go before the US supreme court. '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,' Biery wrote in the 55-page ruling that began with quoting the first amendment and ended with 'Amen'. '[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 continued: '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.' The lawsuit names the Texas education agency, state education commissioner Mike Morath and three Dallas-area school districts as defendants. Hailing the preliminary injunction, plaintiff Rabbi Mara Nathan said: '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.' Heather Weaver, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, echoed similar sentiments. 'Public schools are not Sunday schools. Today's decision ensures that our clients' schools will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed and can learn without worrying that they do not live up to the state's preferred religious beliefs,' Weaver said. Meanwhile, Freedom From Religion Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said: 'Religious instruction must be left to parents, not the state, which has no business telling anyone how many gods to have, which gods to have or whether to have any gods at all.' Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana, and a judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, although other districts in the state said they're not putting them up either. Although Friday's ruling marked a major win for civil liberties groups who say the law violates the separation of church and state, the legal battle is likely far from over. Religious groups and conservatives say the Ten Commandments are part of the foundation of the United States's judicial and educational systems and should be displayed. Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 supreme court case that upheld the monument. In Louisiana – the first state that mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms – a panel of three appellate judges in June ruled that the law was unconstitutional.
