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News18
an hour ago
- Politics
- 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
- Politics
- 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!
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge temporarily blocks Texas' Ten Commandments requirement in 11 school districts
A Texas federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked from taking full effect a new state law requiring public schools to display donated posters of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The ruling only applies to the nearly a dozen Texas school districts named in the lawsuit, though attorneys who brought forth the case expressed hope in court that other districts would not implement a law that a federal judge has now found unconstitutional. In his decision, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery concluded that the law favors Christianity over other faiths, is not neutral with respect to religion and is likely to interfere with families' 'exercise of their sincere religious or nonreligious beliefs in substantial ways.' '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,' Biery wrote in his opinion, adding that the law 'crosses the line from exposure to coercion.' Texas is expected to appeal the ruling. Once that happens, the case will go to the same federal appeals court where a three-judge panel recently blocked Louisiana's Ten Commandments law from taking effect. Louisiana's attorney general has said she would seek further relief from the full appeals court and possibly the U.S. Supreme Court. Oral arguments in the Texas case, Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, concluded on Monday, several weeks after 16 parents of various religious backgrounds, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other religious freedom organizations, sued the state over what their lawyers called "catastrophically unconstitutional' legislation. In court, they argued with a lawyer from the state attorney general's office over the role Founding Fathers like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison played in developing the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment, which protects the freedom of religion. Both parties also debated the influence of the Ten Commandments on the country's legal and educational systems, and whether the version of the Ten Commandments required to go up in schools belongs to a particular religious group. Another group of parents filed a similar lawsuit in Dallas earlier this summer. These suits challenge one of the latest measures passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature earlier this year. Critics say the law injects religion into the state's public schools, attended by roughly 5.5 million children. The background Senate Bill 10, by Republican Sen. Phil King of Weatherford, would require the Ten Commandments be displayed on a donated poster sized at least 16 by 20 inches come September, when most new state laws go into effect. Gov. Greg Abbott signed it in late June, the day after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found a similar law in Louisiana was 'plainly unconstitutional.' The court ruled that requiring schools to post the Ten Commandments would cause an 'irreparable deprivation' of First Amendment rights. An Arkansas judge ruled similarly in a separate case. Supporters argue that the Ten Commandments and teachings of Christianity broadly are vital to understanding U.S. history, a controversial message that has resurged in recent years as part of a broader national movement to undermine the long-held interpretation of church-state separation. Texas GOP lawmakers have passed a number of laws in recent years to further codify their conservative religious views, a trend encouraged and celebrated by Christian leaders. 'This issue is likely to get to the United States Supreme Court,' Biery, the judge, told a San Antonio courtroom prior to opening arguments in the Texas case. What are the plaintiffs saying 'Posting the Ten Commandments in public schools is un-American and un-Baptist,' Griff Martin, a pastor, parent and plaintiff in the ACLU lawsuit, said in a statement. 'S.B. 10 undermines the separation of church and state as a bedrock principle of my family's Baptist heritage. Baptists have long held that the government has no role in religion — so that our faith may remain free and authentic.' In the lawsuit brought by the North Texas parents, the plaintiffs, who identify as Christian, said the law was unconstitutional and violated their right to direct their children's upbringing. One of them, a Christian minister, said the displays will offer a message of religious intolerance, 'implying that anyone who does not believe in the state's official religious scripture is an outsider and not fully part of the community.' That message, the minister argued, conflicts with the religious, social justice and civil rights beliefs he seeks to teach his kids. Another North Texas plaintiff, a mother of two, is worried she will be 'forced' to have sensitive and perhaps premature conversations about topics like adultery with her young children — and also 'does not desire that her minor children to be instructed by their school about the biblical conception of adultery,' the suit states. The plaintiffs in the ACLU suit come from diverse religious backgrounds, including families who are nonreligious. Allison Fitzpatrick said in a statement that she fears her children will think they are violating school rules because they don't adhere to commandments like honoring the Sabbath. 'The state of Texas has no right to dictate to children how many gods to worship, which gods to worship, or whether to worship any gods at all,' sad Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which brought the lawsuit alongside the ACLU. The attorneys called the version of the Ten Commandments in SB 10 a "state-sponsored Protestant version," which was corroborated by their witness, constitutional law professor and religious history expert Steven Green. They argued against the notion that the Ten Commandments were central to the development of the country's legal and educational systems, which Green agreed lacks historical support. The court also found Green's testimony more persuasive than the state's. Although the ACLU lawsuit only applies to 11 school districts, attorneys for the religious freedom organizations hope that a ruling in their favor will signal to districts throughout the rest of the state that they should not comply with the law before the dispute gets resolved by the courts. What the state is saying The attorney general's office argued in the August hearing that the Ten Commandments are part of the nation's history and heritage, and that previous rulings from federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court blocking the commandments from going up in classrooms did not examine that historical significance. Attorneys for the state noted that the Supreme Court recently shot down the test that courts previously relied on to determine when a government had unconstitutionally endorsed or established a religion. And, attorneys pointed out a decades-old ruling in a Nebraska case, regarding a Ten Commandments monument on city property, where an appeals court decided in favor of the monument that displayed the same version of the commandments Texas wants to show in public schools. They relied on that ruling to make the case that SB 10 does not favor a particular religious group. Their viewpoint was supported in court by Mark David Hall, a professor and author who studies religious liberty and church-state relations. Hall, the state's expert witness, recently wrote a book that considers how "Christian Nationalism Is Not an Existential Threat to America or the Church." Attorney William Farrell from the attorney general's office described SB 10's requirement as a "passive display on the wall" that does not rise to the level of coercion. The Ten Commandments posters must only go up if they are donated to the school, he further argued, and the law does not specify what would happen if districts choose not to comply. The state views that as evidence that it poses no threat or harm to families. "SB 10 doesn't restrict anything," Farrell said. "It doesn't exclude anything or specifically require any ... participation by students." What are the schools saying The latest ruling applies to the following school districts: Alamo Heights ISD, North East ISD, Lackland ISD, Northside ISD, Austin ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, Houston ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and Plano ISD. Attorneys from Austin ISD, a defendant in the ACLU lawsuit, said during the August hearing that the district has not adopted any policy in response to SB 10, that there is no evidence that the district is doing anything to infringe on families' rights and that the district should not be held responsible for a law passed by the Legislature. They are asking the court to dismiss the Austin school district from the case. Meanwhile, spokespersons for the Texas Education Agency, a defendant in the North Texas suit, did not respond to requests for comment. The TEA was not included as a defendant in the ACLU's more recent filing. A Lancaster ISD spokesperson said that the district was aware of the suit and monitoring it but did not have further comment. A Dallas ISD spokesperson said the district does not comment on pending litigation. DeSoto ISD administrators said in a statement that the school system, which teaches roughly 6,000 kids, operates in alignment with state and federal laws and also remains committed to creating an inclusive learning environment 'for all students and families, regardless of religious background or personal beliefs.' 'DeSoto ISD recognizes the diverse cultural and religious identities represented in its school community and will continue to prioritize the safety, dignity, and educational well-being of every student,' district officials said. 'The district respects the role of parents and guardians in guiding their children's personal and religious development and will strive to remain sensitive to the varying perspectives within its schools.' Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas loses first round in court battle over 10 Commandments in schools
(The Center Square) – The state of Texas has lost its first round in a legal battle filed by nonreligious parents and religious leaders from multiple faiths who oppose having the 10 Commandments posted in public school classrooms. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery on Wednesday temporarily blocked a new law from going into effect Sept. 1. In his 55-page ruling issued after a two-day hearing in San Antonio, Biery said the law "likely violates both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment" of the U.S. Constitution. He granted the plaintiff's request for a preliminary injunction. He also denied the state's motion to dismiss. 'Ultimately, in matters of conscience, faith, beliefs and the soul, most people are Garbo-esque,' Biery wrote. 'They just want to be left alone, neither proselytized nor ostracized, including what occurs to their children in government run schools. '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. Teenage boys, being the curious hormonally driven creatures they are, might ask: 'Mrs. Walker, I know about lying and I love my parents, but how do I do adultery?' Truly an awkward moment for overworked and underpaid educators, who already have to deal with sex education issues, Mahmoud, 145 S. Ct. at 2355, and a classic example of the law of unintended consequences in legislative edicts.' He said the Texas legislature could also require public schools to post 'the Five Moral Precepts of Buddhism: abstain from killing, stealing, engaging in sexual misconduct, lying and intoxicants,' or other texts. Biery also issued a closing remark to those who disagreed with his ruling. 'For those who disagree with the Court's decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you. May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another,' he wrote before his signature on the order. The lawsuit was filed after Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 10 into law on June 22, which requires every public-school classroom in Texas to post a copy of the Ten Commandments beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, The Center Square reported. Protestant pastors, Islamic leaders and nonreligious parents from north Texas school districts sued the Texas Education Agency, Dallas ISD, Desota ISD and Lancaster ISD in U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas. They argue SB 10 violates the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution and 'no federal court has upheld any display of the Ten Commandments by a public school.' 'Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every Texas public-school classroom unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, reverence, and adoption of the state's mandated religious scripture,' violating the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment, the lawsuit argues. SB 10 also 'substantially interferes with the rights of parents to direct their children's religious education and upbringing,' violating the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, the lawsuit argues. They also argue SB 10 violates the Texas Constitution, which states, 'No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode of worship.' Biery agreed. Attorney General Ken Paxton has said he is appealing the ruling. A lawsuit filed over a similar bill in Louisiana has so far been struck down, including more recently in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Texas can't put the Ten Commandments in certain school districts' classrooms, judge says
Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state's new requirement. Texas is the third state where courts have blocked recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in schools. A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the 1st 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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, who was appointed by President Clinton, wrote in the ruling that begins by quoting the 1st Amendment and ends with 'Amen.' The ruling prohibits the 11 districts and their affiliates from posting the displays required under state law. The law is being challenged by a group of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious families, as well as clergy, who have children in the public schools. A broader lawsuit that names three Dallas-area districts as well as the state education agency and commissioner is pending in federal court. And although the ruling marks a major win for civil liberty groups, the legal battle is probably far from over. Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton said he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it 'flawed.' '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,' the Republican said in a statement, echoing sentiments from religious groups and conservatives who support the law. Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 Supreme Court case that upheld the monument. The families who sued were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. 'The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing,' Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement. A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana. A judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, and other districts in the state said they're not putting them up either. 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. Biery, the judge, cited both the Louisiana and Arkansas cases in his 55-page ruling. He also includes extensive historical references, quotes that range from the founding fathers to evangelist Billy Graham, and even a Rembrandt painting of Moses holding the stone tablets, alongside an image of actor Charlton Heston in the film 'The Ten Commandments.' Having the displays in classrooms, Biery wrote, would probably pressure children of the parents challenging them into adopting the state's preferred religion and suppressing their own religious beliefs. The judge said there are ways students could be taught the Ten Commandments' history without it being placed in every classroom. 'For those who disagree with the Court's decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you,' he wrote. 'May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another.' DeMillo writes for the Associated Press.
