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A federal judge has ruled that a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom in the state is unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia found Senate Bill 10 to violate the law Establishment clause the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing or promoting religion.
“I am relieved that as a result of today’s ruling, my children, who are among a small number of Jewish children in their schools, will no longer be constantly exposed to religious displays,” plaintiff Lenee Bien-Willner said in a statement. “The government has no business interfering in parents’ decisions on matters of faith.”
Garcia’s order directs school officials in the school districts affected by the lawsuit to remove the displays by Dec. 1.
FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM SERVING TEN COMMANDMENTS IN CLASSROOMS
A federal judge has ruled that a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted 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, the ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation are urging all counties to ignore the state law.
Comal, Georgetown, Conroe, Flour Bluff, Fort Worth, Arlington, McKinney, Frisco, Northwest, Azle, Rockwall, Lovejoy, Mansfield and McAllen independent school districts are affected by the ruling.
The lawsuit was filed September 22 by the ACLU on behalf of 15 multifaith families who are part of 14 school districts across the United States Lone Star State. The ACLU also filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of other Texas families over the summer.
The judge found that Senate Bill 10 violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“Today’s ruling is further confirmation of what Texans already know: The First Amendment guarantees families and faith communities — not the government — the right to teach religious beliefs to our children,” ACLU of Texas staff attorney Chloe Kempf said in a statement.
“Our schools exist to educate, not evangelize. This ruling protects thousands of Texas students from exclusion, bullying, and state-imposed religious coercion. Every school district in Texas is now on notice that the implementation of SB 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.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued 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 blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters, who expect our state’s legal and moral heritage to be displayed in accordance with the law,” Paxton said in the news release.
“Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD have chosen to defy a clear legal mandate, and this lawsuit makes clear that no district can ignore Texas law without consequences,” he added.