Key Points:
- Senate Bill 10 has passed the Texas House and moves back to the Senate for concurrence before heading to the governor.
- Supporters say the bill reinforces moral education and honors historical foundations.
- Critics argue it violates the U.S. Constitution’s separation of church and state and risks legal challenges.
Texas is on the brink of mandating that every public school classroom display the Ten Commandments, following the state House’s 82–46 vote to advance Senate Bill 10. If approved by the Senate and signed by Governor Greg Abbott, the legislation will take effect on September 1, 2025.
The bill would require all classes to post the commandments in a 16-by-20 inch framed display, using language from the King James Bible—the same version inscribed on the Ten Commandments monument outside the Texas State Capitol. While school districts may use public funds, they are also required to accept private donations that meet specifications.
Proponents, including Republican state Rep. Candy Noble, argue the measure is a return to the moral roots of American education. “Nothing is more deep rooted in the fabric of our American tradition of education than the Ten Commandments,” Noble said, citing the commandments’ frequent appearance in historical court cases.
Supporters like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have framed the legislation as part of a broader effort to reintroduce religious and moral principles into schools. Many conservative voters in the state, such as Laine Boyd, have voiced approval, saying, “We’ve lost a lot of trust in our school system and those Ten Commandments are a great start.”
However, the bill has drawn fierce opposition from Democratic lawmakers, civil liberties groups, and religious minorities, who warn that it infringes on the constitutional separation of church and state. “Posting religious texts without context doesn’t teach history,” said Rep. Vincent Perez. “It risks promoting one religion over others, something our Constitution forbids.”
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Critics have also pointed to past Supreme Court rulings, notably Stone v. Graham (1980), which struck down a similar Kentucky law mandating Ten Commandments displays in classrooms. Perez challenged Noble’s claim that previous rulings had cleared the way for such displays in schools, arguing that Supreme Court precedent does not support this interpretation.
During House debates, Democratic members attempted to amend the bill to allow school districts to opt in or to include ethical codes from multiple religions, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
To address potential lawsuits, the House amended the bill to shift legal responsibility from individual school districts to the state itself. This amendment requires the Senate’s approval before the bill can proceed to the governor, who is expected to sign it.
As the legislative session nears its close, the final outcome could prompt a significant legal challenge—one that may again test the boundaries of religious expression in American public schools.