Texas Law Requires Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom starting this September, following Governor Greg Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 10. This controversial law is part of a broader conservative movement nationwide to reintroduce religion into public education, despite prior Supreme Court rulings that deemed similar mandates unconstitutional.
Bill Signed Despite Church-State Concerns
Republican Sen. Phil King of Weatherford wrote Senate Bill 10, requiring schools to display 16-by-20-inch Ten Commandments posters. The posters must follow the exact wording specified in the bill and cannot include any additional text or religious symbols.
Gov. Abbott signed the bill weeks after a federal court struck down Louisiana’s similar law for violating the Establishment Clause. Confident in the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, Texas lawmakers have continued advancing the bill despite ongoing legal challenges.
House Passed the Bill on the Jewish Sabbath
On the House floor, Rep. James Talarico, a former teacher and seminary student, criticized the bill’s passage on the Jewish Sabbath, pointing out the irony that the Ten Commandments forbid work that day. Despite strong opposition and hours of debate, the bill passed 82–46.
Democrats introduced inclusive amendments, like multi-faith ethics and district voting options, but lawmakers ultimately rejected every proposal offered.
State to Cover Legal Costs from Lawsuits
Interestingly, the bill states that the state will cover all legal fees if anyone sues a school district over the law. This language highlights lawmakers’ anticipation of legal battles ahead, especially given precedents like the Supreme Court’s 1980 decision striking down Kentucky’s classroom display of the Ten Commandments.
Lawmakers Defend Moral Message
Supporters argue the Ten Commandments form the foundation of American law and morality. Rep. Candy Noble, who sponsored the bill in the House, claimed during the debate that “we would all be better off if we followed God’s law.”
Many conservative legislators frame the bill as a response to what they perceive as a generational moral decline. Noble and others insist that reintroducing religious teachings will help restore discipline and ethical behavior among students.
Broader Religious Push in Texas Schools
This bill is not an isolated effort. In recent years, Texas lawmakers passed religion-focused laws, including mandatory “In God We Trust” signs and Bible-based curriculum approval.
Other proposed bills restore religious study periods and require using “Anno Domini” (AD) and “Before Christ” (BC) in history classes.
Critics Warn of Exclusion and Legal Risks
However, the legislation has drawn fierce criticism. Free speech groups, civil rights advocates, and teacher unions argue that the measure alienates students of non-Christian faiths—or those who practice no religion at all.
Clay Robison, spokesperson for the Texas State Teachers Association, said the policy sends a message that the classroom endorses only one religion.“Public schools are not supposed to be Sunday school.”
Critics also question how teachers will handle sensitive commandments like adultery, arguing that such content may be inappropriate for young children.
Legal Experts Caution Against Misinterpretation
Legal scholars stress that displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms is fundamentally different from permitting voluntary, private student prayer. Professor Robert Tuttle explained that constantly displaying sacred texts implies enforceable rules for students, which isn’t the government’s role.
He noted the conservative Supreme Court’s recent rejection of an Oklahoma religious charter school shows continued respect for church-state boundaries.
A Christian Voice for Separation
During floor debates, Rep. Talarico stressed that government must not force religion on American children. Texas Law Requires Ten Commandments in classrooms starting September, making Texas the first state in decades to mandate such displays. This move could trigger a major legal battle and reshape how religion appears in America’s public education system.