A federal judge has ordered multiple Texas school districts to remove Ten Commandments displays from classrooms after a second lawsuit was filed by the ACLU of Texas, partner organizations and several families.
The judge’s order comes as legal challenges mount against efforts to post the biblical text in public schools, which critics argue violates the First Amendment’s ban on government endorsement of religion.
In his order, U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia wrote that “displaying the Ten Commandments on the wall of a public-school classroom as set forth in S.B. 10 violates the Establishment Clause.” He added, “It is impractical, if not impossible, to prevent Plaintiffs from being subjected to unwelcome religious displays without enjoining Defendants from enforcing S.B. 10 across their districts.”
The lawsuits contend that requiring or allowing Ten Commandments displays in classrooms forces religious messaging onto students and families. The judge agreed the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their constitutional claims and directed districts to take down the displays while the case proceeds.
“I am relieved that as a result of today’s ruling, my children, who are among a small number of Jewish children at their schools, will no longer be continually subjected to religious displays,” said plaintiff Lenee Bien-Willner. “The government has no business interfering with parental decisions about matters of faith.”
The Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD are currently being sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for refusing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
“These rogue ISD officials and board members blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters who expect the legal and moral heritage of our state to be displayed in accordance with the law,” Paxton said in a statement.
Senate Bill 10 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in June. It requires Ten Commandments posters to be displayed in public school classrooms across Texas if they are donated.