Texas law requiring Ten Commandments displays in schools ruled unconstitutional
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A federal judge has 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 violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which bars the government from establishing or supporting a religion.
“As a result of today’s decision, I am relieved that my children, who are among the few Jewish children in their school, will no longer be constantly exposed to religious demonstrations,” plaintiff Lenee Bien-Willner said in a statement. he said. “The government has no business interfering with parents’ decisions regarding matters of faith.”
Garcia’s order directs school officials in the school districts involved in the lawsuit to remove the displays by Dec. 1.
FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM PROVIDING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN CLASSROOMS
A federal judge has ruled that a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom in the state is unconstitutional. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
The judge’s order applies only to certain counties, but the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Texas, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation are urging all counties to ignore state laws.
Comal, Georgetown, Conroe, Flour Bluff, Fort Worth, Arlington, McKinney, Frisco, Northwest, Azle, Rockwall, Lovejoy, Mansfield and McAllen independent school districts are affected by the decision.
The lawsuit was filed Sept. 22 by the ACLU on behalf of 15 multifaith families who are part of 14 school districts in the Lone Star State. The ACLU also filed a similar lawsuit over the summer on behalf of other families in Texas.
Texas Attorney General KEN PAXTON ENCOURAGES SCHOOLS TO BRING BACK PRAYER, ‘WE WANT GOD’S WORD TO BE OPENED’
The judge ruled that Senate Bill 10 violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“Today’s decision is a reaffirmation of what Texans already knew: 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. he said.
“Our schools are for education, not evangelism. This decision protects thousands of Texas students from ostracism, bullying, and state-mandated religious oppression. Every school district in Texas has now warned that implementation of SB 10 violates their students’ constitutional rights,” he continued.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for the U.S. Senate, has filed a lawsuit against two school districts (Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD) for allegedly refusing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against two school districts for allegedly refusing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“These rogue ISD officials and board members have blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters who expect our state’s legal and moral legacy to be lawfully displayed,” Paxton said in the news release.
“Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD chose to defy a clear legal mandate, and this case makes clear that no district can ignore Texas law without consequence,” he added.
