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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.

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.