Federal Judge Blocks Texas Ten Commandments Law

August 20, 2025 Christianists, Republicans

Texas cannot require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state’s new requirement, making it the third such state law to be blocked by a court.

A group of Dallas-area families and faith leaders sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the First Amendment’s protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise.

Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that’s expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Read the full article. Senate Bill 10, by Republican state Sen. Phil King [photo], would require the Ten Commandments be displayed on a poster sized at least 16 by 20 inches in every classroom.

A federal judge sided with 16 Texas families to stop a law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments from going into effect. https://t.co/cbsaU7WKvm pic.twitter.com/qn0RWvxXKI

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) August 20, 2025