Federal judge rules law requiring display of Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms unconstitutional
In a significant ruling, U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia declared that a Texas law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom is unconstitutional, violating the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This landmark decision stems from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of 15 multifaith families across 14 school districts, challenging Senate Bill 10, which aimed to promote religious displays in public educational settings. Judge Garcia’s ruling emphasizes that the government should not favor or establish any religion, thereby reinforcing the principle of separation of church and state. The judge’s order requires the affected school districts, including Comal, Georgetown, and Fort Worth, to remove the displays by December 1, 2023.
The ruling has sparked a broader conversation about religious expression in schools, with both supporters and opponents weighing in. Lenee Bien-Willner, one of the plaintiffs, expressed relief that her children would no longer be subjected to religious displays in a diverse educational environment. Chloe Kempf, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas, highlighted the ruling as a safeguard against potential ostracization and bullying faced by students from minority faiths, asserting that schools should focus on education rather than religious indoctrination. In contrast, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been a vocal advocate for the law, criticized the ruling and filed lawsuits against school districts that did not comply with the display mandate, arguing that they were disregarding the will of Texas voters.
This ruling not only highlights the ongoing legal battles over religious expression in public schools but also sets a precedent for how similar laws might be challenged in the future. The ACLU and other advocacy groups are urging all Texas school districts to disregard the law in light of the ruling, potentially leading to further legal confrontations. With the ongoing debate surrounding the role of religion in public education, this case underscores the delicate balance between respecting individual beliefs and maintaining a secular educational environment. As the situation develops, it will be crucial to monitor how school districts respond and how this ruling may influence future legislation regarding religious displays in public spaces.
A federal judge ruled that a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed 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 prevents the government from establishing or favoring a religion.
“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,” plaintiff Lenee Bien-Willner said in a statement. “The government has no business interfering with parental decisions about matters of faith.”
Garcia’s order directs school officials in the school districts included in the lawsuit to remove the displays by Dec. 1.
FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM DISPLAYING TEN COMMANDMENTS IN CLASSROOMS
The judge’s order only applies to certain districts, but the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation are calling on all districts to ignore the state law.
The independent school districts of Comal, Georgetown, Conroe, Flour Bluff, Fort Worth, Arlington, McKinney, Frisco, Northwest, Azle, Rockwall, Lovejoy, Mansfield and McAllen are affected by the ruling.Â
The lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on Sept. 22 on behalf of 15 multifaith families who are a part of 14 school districts in the
Lone Star State
. The ACLU also filed a similar lawsuit over the summer on behalf of other Texas families.
TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON ENCOURAGES SCHOOLS TO BRING BACK PRAYER, ‘WE WANT THE WORD OF GOD OPENED’
“Today’s ruling is yet another affirmation of what Texans already know: The First Amendment guarantees families and faith communities – not the government – the right to instill religious beliefs in our children,” Chloe Kempf, staff attorney for the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement.
“Our schools are for education, not evangelization. This ruling protects thousands of Texas students from ostracization, bullying, and state-mandated religious coercion. Every school district in Texas is now on notice that implementing S.B. 10 violates their students’ constitutional rights,” she continued.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, sued two
school districts
— Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD — for allegedly 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 the news release.
“Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD chose to defy a clear statutory mandate, and this lawsuit makes clear that no district may ignore Texas law without consequence,” he added.
