A federal appeals court in the United States has allowed the state of Texas to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments from the Bible, a victory for conservative Christians.
The state had passed a law in June 2025 mandating public schools to display these biblical precepts “in a prominent location in the classroom.” Texas school authorities, several families, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had challenged this law in court, arguing that religious beliefs were the concern of parents and religious communities, not public schools.
In November, a federal judge had initially ordered the removal of these texts. This injunction has now been overturned by the appeals court in New Orleans.
The appeals court ruled that the obligation to display this text does not constitute “an infringement on the conscience of Texas students or parents” and that the plaintiffs “have not shown that (the law) constituted a significant infringement on their right to freedom of worship.”
This decision could set a precedent that might encourage other states to impose similar measures.
However, the ACLU has stated its intention to appeal to the Supreme Court. “We are extremely disappointed by today’s decision. The court’s ruling goes against the fundamental principles of the First Amendment and the binding jurisprudence of the United States Supreme Court,” the ACLU said in a statement.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, praised the appeals court decision. “The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it is important that students learn from them every day,” he wrote on X.
The appeals court decision noted that “countless public schools—including those in Texas—already begin the day by reciting a pledge leading students to say ‘one nation under the authority of God.'”
