Appeals court allows Texas public schools to require Ten Commandments displays

A U.S. appeals court has ruled that Texas public schools can mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, marking a significant win for conservatives advocating for increased religious presence in education. This decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals could pave the way for a future showdown at the U.S. Supreme Court. The court determined the law does not infringe upon the First Amendment, which safeguards religious freedom and prohibits governmental establishment of religion. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, hailed the ruling as "a major victory for Texas and our moral values."Organizations representing the families who challenged the law said in a statement that they were ‘extremely disappointed’ by the decision (AP Photo/John Bazemore)“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,” Paxton said.Organizations representing the families who challenged the law, including the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement that they were “extremely disappointed” by the decision.“The court’s ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court authority. The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights,” the statement said.The law is among the pushes by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, to incorporate religion into public schools. Critics say it violates the separation of church and state while backers argue that the Ten Commandments are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law.The ruling, which reverses a district court's judgment, comes after the full court heard arguments in January in the Texas case and a similar case in Louisiana. The appeals court in February cleared the way for Louisiana’s law, requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 12-6 to lift a block that a lower court first placed on the law in 2024.Texas law took effect on Sept. 1, marking the largest attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. About two dozen school districts had been barred from posting them after federal judges issued injunctions in two cases against the law but went up in many classrooms across the state as districts paid to have the posters printed themselves or accepted donations.