Overview

• U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction less than two weeks before SB10 was set to take effect on September 1.
• The order applies only to the 11 defendant districts across major metros, including Houston ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and Fort Bend ISD.
• Biery concluded the state-required display, using a King James–style text, likely violates the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses and would pressure a captive audience of students.
• Sixteen Texas families of varied faiths and nonreligious backgrounds brought the case, represented by the ACLU, ACLU of Texas, Americans United and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
• Attorney General Ken Paxton vowed to appeal, as similar classroom display laws have already been blocked by federal courts in Louisiana and Arkansas.