Federal Judge Rules Texas Law Requiring Ten Commandments in Classrooms Unconstitutional

A federal judge has ruled that a Texas statute requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom in the state is unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia found that Senate Bill 10 violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits government endorsement or favoritism of a religion. Garcia's order directs school officials in the districts named in the lawsuit to remove the displays by Dec. 1.

“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,”

“The government has no business interfering with parental decisions about matters of faith.”

— Lenee Bien-Willner, plaintiff

The judge’s injunction currently applies only to the independent school districts included in the lawsuit. Nevertheless, several civil liberties organizations — including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation — have urged other districts across Texas to decline to implement the law while constitutional issues remain unresolved.

Districts affected by the order include:

• Comal
• Georgetown
• Conroe
• Flour Bluff
• Fort Worth
• Arlington
• McKinney
• Frisco
• Northwest
• Azle
• Rockwall
• Lovejoy
• Mansfield
• McAllen

The ACLU filed the suit on Sept. 22 on behalf of 15 multifaith families from 14 school districts. The organization said it also pursued a related case earlier in the summer on behalf of other Texas families who oppose the mandate.

Reaction and enforcement efforts

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has pushed for religious expression in schools and has filed lawsuits against two districts — Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD — alleging they refused to comply with the Ten Commandments display requirement. In a statement, Paxton criticized local officials who declined to post the displays, saying they disregarded the will of Texas voters and that no district should ignore state law without consequence.

Chloe Kempf, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas, said the ruling reinforces First Amendment protections and aims to protect students from state-mandated religious coercion, ostracization, and bullying.

Legal observers say the issue may proceed further in the courts as state officials consider next steps, including potential appeals. For now, the order requires removal of the Ten Commandments displays in the named districts by the court-ordered deadline.