US Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law Requiring Display Of Ten Commandments In Schools

Last Updated:August 21, 2025, 06:11 IST

The ruling comes as a victory for a coalition of families and civil liberties groups who argued that the law violates the constitutional separation of church and state

The ruling also noted that the specific version of the commandments required by the law differs from those of some other faiths, creating an exclusionary message. (Representational image)

A United States federal judge has issued a temporary block on a new Texas law that would mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. The ruling comes as a victory for a coalition of families and civil liberties groups who argued that the law violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

US District Judge Fred Biery, in a detailed 55-page ruling, granted a preliminary injunction against the law, which was set to take effect on September 1. The lawsuit was filed by families of diverse religious and nonreligious backgrounds, including Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Unitarian Universalist parents, who claimed that the law infringed upon the First Amendment’s protections for religious freedom.

Judge Biery’s decision highlighted that while the Ten Commandments might not be actively taught, their permanent display in a “captive audience" setting like a classroom would likely pressure students into religious observance and raise questions that teachers would feel compelled to answer. He wrote that such a mandate would “impermissibly take sides on theological questions and officially favor Christian denominations over others". The ruling also noted that the specific version of the commandments required by the law differs from those of some other faiths, creating an exclusionary message.

The ruling has been hailed as a major win by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Hindu American Foundation. They argue that public schools are for “educating, not evangelising".

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has defended the law, called the ruling “flawed" and has announced plans to appeal. The case is part of a broader legal battle in the US, with similar laws in Louisiana and Arkansas also having been blocked by courts.

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August 21, 2025, 06:11 IST

News world US Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law Requiring Display Of Ten Commandments In Schools

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