‘We Will File Suit’: Groups Say Ten Commandments Bill Violates First Amendment

Civil liberties organizations are alerting Texas lawmakers to the potential for a legal confrontation should Governor Greg Abbott endorse a bill mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across the state.

This week, the Legislature passed a bill requiring all public classrooms to prominently display a 16-by-20-inch version of the Ten Commandments in clear text. Schools are required to either accept qualifying donated posters or utilize public funds for their procurement. Civil rights advocates contend that this situation represents a blatant infringement of the First Amendment, referencing a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Stone v. Graham) that invalidated a comparable law in Kentucky.

The ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation announced in a joint statement their intention to collaborate with Texas public school families to initiate a lawsuit.

The Texas House has approved a measure mandating that the state attorney general provide legal defense for any school involved in litigation, thereby allocating taxpayer resources for these legal battles. Governor Abbott issued a bold response via social media, declaring, “Bring it,” while alluding to his previous defense of the Ten Commandments monument located at the Texas Capitol.

Proponents of the legislation reference a 2022 Supreme Court ruling in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, which expanded safeguards for personal religious expression within educational institutions. The current court is being urged to reconsider the decision in Stone v. Graham.

Critics contend that the legislation advances a particular religious perspective, enforcing Protestant principles within public classrooms that are characterized by religious diversity. Opponents have labeled the situation as “religious coercion,” asserting that it constitutes an infringement on families’ rights to guide their children’s religious education.

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