Texas Appeals Court Upholds Law Requiring Ten Commandments in Schools

Wed Apr 22 2026 04:42:06 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In a landmark decision, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas can mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, igniting a potential Supreme Court battle over the separation of church and state.

The recent ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas has allowed public schools to display the Ten Commandments, marking a significant victory for proponents of increased religious presence in education. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton heralded the decision as a triumph for moral values. However, dissenters, including organizations like the ACLU, argue it undermines fundamental First Amendment protections. This decision comes as part of a broader national effort by Republican leaders to weave religious elements into public education, potentially setting the stage for a Supreme Court showdown.

DALLAS (AP) — Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into schools.

This ruling sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the law did not violate the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom and prevents the government from establishing a religion.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, called the ruling “a major victory for Texas and our moral values.”

Paxton said, “The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day.”

Organizations representing the families who challenged the law, including the American Civil Liberties Union, expressed their disappointment. They claimed that the ruling contradicts fundamental First Amendment principles, asserting that the court's decision undermines rights regarding the separation of church and state and the freedom of families to make decisions about religious instruction for their children.

The law is part of broader initiatives by Republican leaders to integrate religious teachings in public education, facing criticism for potentially violating the constitutional separation of church and state. Critics argue that this could lead to further erosion of the foundational principles enshrined in the First Amendment.

The ruling, which reverses a district court’s decision, came after the appeals court heard arguments in January concerning this Texas case along with a similar case in Louisiana. Notably, a previous ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this year also cleared the way for Louisiana’s law to display the Ten Commandments in public schools.

As of now, the Texas law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments took effect on September 1, marking a significant move to incorporate religious texts in educational environments across the state.