A federal judge in San Antonio issued a temporary injunction Friday blocking the enforcement of Senate Bill 10 (SB 10) in a set of Texas school districts. However, Attorney General Ken Paxton said Monday that districts not listed in the order must still display the Ten Commandments once the law takes effect Sept. 1, 2025.
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According to a news release, only certain schools are affected by the injunction filed Friday against SB 10, a law that would require all public schools to display a framed poster at least 16 by 20 inches, listing the Ten Commandments.
Supporters say SB 10 represents a return to moral values, while critics argue it violates the Constitution by blurring the line between church and state.
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Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that’s expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do,” Biery wrote in the 55-page ruling that began with quoting the First Amendment and ended with “Amen.”
However, Paxton issued a statement Monday, saying all other schools not involved in the injunction are still expected to display the Ten Commandments.
“From the beginning, the Ten Commandments have been irrevocably intertwined with America’s legal, moral, and historical heritage,” he said. “Schools not enjoined by ongoing litigation must abide by S.B. 10 and display the Ten Commandments. The woke radicals seeking to erase our nation’s history will be defeated. I will not back down from defending the virtues and values that built this country.”
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The news release also explains: “The only school districts affected by the injunction are Alamo Heights, North East, Austin, Cypress Fairbanks, Lackland, Lake Travis, Fort Bend, Houston, Dripping Springs, Plano, and Northside. All other ISDs must abide by the law once it takes effect on September 1, 2025.”
Although Friday’s ruling marked a major win for civil liberties groups who say the law violates the separation of church and state, Paxton’s latest statement demonstrates further that the legal battle is likely far from over.