Federal Judge Halts Texas Ten Commandments Law in Church-State Showdown
A federal judge has ordered a dozen Texas public school districts to remove displays of the Ten Commandments from classrooms by December, declaring that a state law mandating the displays violates the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on government establishment of religion. The injunction from U.S. District Court Judge Orlando L. Garcia marks a significant victory for the parents who sued, with the ACLU hailing the decision as a defense of religious freedom for all Texas families. The ruling represents the latest setback for a conservative movement pushing to prominently feature Christian texts in public schools, following similar legal blocks against laws in Louisiana and Oklahoma.
The decision immediately triggered a fierce counter-response, highlighting the deep national divide on the issue. On the very same day, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued two other school districts for refusing to display the Commandments, accusing them of disregarding the will of Texas voters. While affected districts like Conroe and Fort Worth stated they would comply with the judge’s order and remove the posters, the legal battle is far from over. The conflict is now headed to a federal appeals court in January, setting the stage for a potential landmark decision on the limits of religious expression in public institutions.
