Here is a short article explaining the law:
And here is a quotation from the article:
"The legislation requires that by January 1, 2025, all K-12 public
schools, charter schools, and state post-secondary institutions place in
their classrooms a poster-size copy of the Ten Commandments (“10Cs”).
The 10Cs are to be displayed along with a three-paragraph “context
statement” situating the commandments as part of the American
educational experience for almost three centuries."
Is this new law constitutional under the current Supreme Court test for the Establishment Clause?
From AP:
New Texas law will require Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom
Updated 7:16 PM CDT, June 21, 2025
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas will require all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments under a new law that will make the state the nation’s largest to attempt to impose such a mandate.
Gov.
Greg Abbott announced Saturday that he signed the bill, which is
expected to draw a legal challenge from critics who consider it an
unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state.
A similar law in Louisiana was blocked when a federal appeals court ruled Friday that it was unconstitutional. Arkansas also has a similar law that has been challenged in federal court.
The
Texas measure easily passed in the Republican-controlled state House
and Senate in the legislative session that ended June 2.
“The
focus of this bill is to look at what is historically important to our
nation educationally and judicially,” Republican state representative
Candy Noble, a co-sponsor of the bill, said when it passed the House.
From Religion Clause blog:
Suit Challenges Texas Requirement for 10 Commandments in Classrooms
Suit was filed last week in a Texas federal district court
challenging the constitutionality of a recently enacted Texas law that
requires the display of the Ten Commandments in every public-school
classroom. The complaint (full text) in Alexander v. Morath, (ND TX, filed 6/24/2025) alleges in part:
Senate
Bill 10 ... is not religiously neutral, as it mandates the display of a
specific version of the Ten Commandments in every public-school
classroom. This requirement inherently takes a theological stance on the
correct content and meaning of the scripture....
The
version mandated by S.B. 10 mostly aligns with a Protestant rendition
but does not match any version found in the Jewish tradition, notably
omitting key language and context from the Torah. Furthermore, it does
not match the version followed by most Catholics, as it includes a
prohibition against "graven images" which could be offensive given the
role of iconography in the Catholic faith....
84.
As a result of the Ten Commandments displays mandated by S.B. 10, Texas
students—including minor-child Plaintiffs—will be unconstitutionally
coerced into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the
state’s favored religious scripture, and they will be pressured to
suppress their personal religious beliefs and practices, especially in
school, to avoid the potential disfavor, reproach, and/or disapproval of
school officials and/or their peers. ...
85.
In addition, by mandating that one version of the Ten Commandments be
displayed in public educational institutions and prescribing an official
religious text for school children to venerate, S.B. 10 adopts an
official position on religious matters, violating the Establishment
Clause’s prohibition against taking sides in questions over theological
doctrine and violating the “clearest command” of the Establishment
Clause that “one religious denomination cannot be officially preferred
over another.” Larson v. Valente, 456 U.S. 228, 244 (1982).
86.
There is no longstanding historical practice or tradition of
prominently and permanently displaying any version of the Ten
Commandments in American public-school classrooms. On the contrary, the
Supreme Court unambiguously held in Stone that such a practice is proscribed by the Constitution.
Texas Tribune reports on the lawsuit.