A federal court has delivered a significant blow to Texas lawmakers’ efforts to bring religious displays into public school classrooms, with a judge ordering multiple school districts to immediately remove Ten Commandments posters and cease any plans for new installations.
U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia issued a preliminary injunction on November 18, determining that Senate Bill 10—the controversial state legislation requiring large, clearly visible Ten Commandments displays in every public school classroom—likely violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits government endorsement of religion.
The ruling represents a critical legal setback for supporters of the measure, who argued that displaying the biblical text alongside other historical documents would provide educational value and reflect America’s religious heritage. However, Judge Garcia found the law’s requirements crossed constitutional boundaries by effectively forcing government institutions to promote religious doctrine.
Under the court’s order, affected Texas school districts must remove existing Ten Commandments displays by early December, while being prohibited from installing new ones as the legal challenge continues through the court system. The injunction provides immediate relief to parents and civil liberties advocates who filed the lawsuit challenging the state mandate.
Senate Bill 10 had required school districts to post Ten Commandments displays that meet specific size and readability standards, making the religious text prominently visible to students throughout their school day. Supporters of the legislation argued it served educational purposes and honored the historical role of Judeo-Christian principles in American law and governance.
The legal challenge joins a growing national debate over religious displays in public institutions, particularly schools, as various states have pursued similar legislation in recent years. Critics argue such measures blur the line between church and state, while supporters contend they reflect important cultural and historical foundations.
This preliminary ruling does not represent a final judgment on the law’s constitutionality, but it signals the judge’s initial assessment that challengers are likely to succeed in their constitutional arguments. The case will continue to move through federal court as both sides prepare for further legal proceedings.
The decision affects multiple Texas school districts that had begun implementing or planning to implement the Ten Commandments displays following the law’s passage. Districts now face the immediate task of compliance with the federal court order while the broader legal questions surrounding religious displays in public education continue to unfold.
