A federal judge has issued a sweeping order requiring multiple public school districts in North Texas to remove displays of the Ten Commandments from classrooms by Dec. 1, citing constitutional concerns.
The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit challenging a state law that mandated such displays.
U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia, appointed during the Clinton administration, found that Senate Bill 10, the Texas statute in question, violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government endorsement of a specific religion, BizPac Review reports.
The decision represents a significant check on legislative efforts to introduce religious texts into public education and underscores the courts’ role in maintaining separation between church and state.
The litigation was initiated in September by a coalition of Texas families and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who argued that posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms infringed on students’ religious freedoms.
Plaintiffs contended that state-mandated religious displays encroached upon the rights of families to guide their children’s faith without government interference.
The preliminary injunction affects more than a dozen districts, including Fort Worth, Arlington, McKinney, Frisco, Northwest, Rockwall, Mansfield, Comal, Georgetown, Conroe, Flour Bluff, Azle, Lovejoy and McAllen.
School officials in these areas are now required to remove existing displays and refrain from posting any new religious texts.
Advocates warn that noncompliance could result in legal consequences from both state and federal authorities.
Plaintiffs expressed relief following the ruling.
Lenee Bien-Willner, a parent of children in the affected schools, stated that the decision protects students from exposure to religious mandates in educational settings and reinforces the principle that matters of faith belong in the home and community rather than the classroom.
The ACLU praised the court’s decision as a safeguard for students’ rights and educational neutrality.
Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, highlighted the importance of keeping public education free from enforced religious instruction.
“Once again, a federal court has recognized that the Constitution bars public schools from forcing religious scripture on students,” he said, according to The Gateway Pundit. “This decision is a victory for religious liberty and a reminder that government officials shouldn’t pay favorites with faith.”
Staff attorney Chloe Kempf added that the ruling ensures that faith formation remains a private matter, safeguarding both religious minorities and the broader student population.
Opposition to the injunction has been voiced by state officials.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has warned that school administrators could face legal consequences for failing to uphold state law, emphasizing that legislative actions reflect the will of Texas voters and the state’s cultural heritage.
“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,” he wrote on X.
The ruling also resonates nationally, following similar court decisions in other states, including Louisiana, where judges have blocked the implementation of comparable Ten Commandments laws.
Legal analysts say these cases collectively underscore the ongoing tension between state mandates for religious displays and constitutional protections.
Advocacy groups such as Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation have supported the Texas court’s decision and continue to encourage districts nationwide to comply with federal constitutional standards.
By Dec. 1, all affected schools must remove Ten Commandments displays to comply with a federal court ruling, challenging state lawmakers’ efforts to preserve traditional values in public education.
