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Texas Legislature Approves Classroom Display of Ten Commandments

Governor Greg Abbott plans to sign it into law despite anticipated First Amendment challenges by civil liberties groups.

James Talarico pictured at an event on March 08, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
FILE - This 5-foot tall stone slab bearing the Ten Commandments stands near the Capitol in Austin, Texas, in this July 29, 2002 file photo.  (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck, File)
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Overview

  • Republican-controlled Texas lawmakers passed the measure on May 25, mandating every public school classroom to display a framed copy of the Ten Commandments.
  • Governor Greg Abbott, who defended a Capitol monument of the commandments as attorney general, is expected to sign the bill into law.
  • Supporters, including Texas Values, say the displays honor the historical and cultural roots of U.S. legal traditions and offer moral guidance.
  • Opponents argue the requirement breaches the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and risks alienating students of diverse faiths or none.
  • Precedents in Louisiana and Arkansas have already triggered legal battles, and experts predict Texas’s law will face lawsuits that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.