Civil rights advocates have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Texas law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The petition argues that the law violates the First Amendment's separation of church and state.
The request comes after a split decision in April by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the Texas law. The appeals court's 9-8 ruling affirmed that public schools must display a state-selected version of the Ten Commandments, drawn from the King James Bible.
In their filing with the Supreme Court, attorneys representing over two dozen Texas families contend that the law forces scripture upon students in a captive audience setting for extended periods, infringing on fundamental First Amendment rights. This case could establish a new national precedent regarding religious expression in public education.
The 5th Circuit's decision reversed a lower federal court ruling that had previously blocked about a dozen Texas school districts from posting the commandments. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the law, which took effect last September.
The Texas law requires school districts to display the Ten Commandments only if they are donated. Following the law's enactment, conservative groups and individuals began donating posters to campuses across the state as the current school year began.
In its ruling, the 5th Circuit stated that the law does not compel children to recite, believe, or affirm the divine origin of the commandments. The court had previously ruled in February that Louisiana could enforce its own law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Republican-led efforts to place the Ten Commandments in classrooms have been prominent in Southern states. Louisiana was the first state to pass such a requirement in 2024, followed by Arkansas and Texas. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also signed a similar law earlier this year.