The Texas House of Representatives recently took a significant step toward integrating religious elements into public education by advancing a bill that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across the state. This move marks yet another chapter in a broader trend led by conservative states aiming to weave faith more explicitly into public school settings.
On May 25, the Republican-majority House approved their version of Senate Bill 10 with an 82-46 vote, following roughly a week of intense debate. During this period, Democratic lawmakers made multiple attempts to introduce amendments that would require public schools to also post religious texts from Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism alongside the Ten Commandments. However, these efforts were ultimately rejected. The bill passed with an amendment specifying that the state government—not the individual schools or school districts—would bear the responsibility and financial burden of defending any legal challenges arising from the law.
Despite this precaution, the legislation is expected to face legal hurdles. Critics argue that the bill likely violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which bars public schools from endorsing or promoting religious doctrines in a devotional manner or prescribing prayers to be recited by students or school personnel. Supporters counter this by asserting that the Ten Commandments represent a foundational element of American legal and cultural history rather than religious indoctrination, as reported by The Texas Tribune.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is anticipated to sign the bill into law, which is scheduled to take effect in September. The state Senate had previously passed the bill in March by a 20-11 vote. The legislation requires that all public classrooms display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments, measuring at least 16 inches by 20 inches. No exemptions are allowed, and schools refusing to display the Christian text must accept any privately donated copies offered.
This bill is part of a wider movement spearheaded by conservative lawmakers across the United States, who have increasingly pushed for the inclusion of religious teachings in public school curricula and classrooms. These efforts include incorporating Bible passages into reading lessons and mandating the display of religious texts such as the Ten Commandments.
In regions with large evangelical Christian populations, such initiatives have gained particular traction. Ira C. Lupu, a professor at George Washington University School of Law who specializes in First Amendment issues and religion, notes that evangelical communities have been a driving force behind these policies. For example, Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry signed a similar law in June 2024, requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public classroom. However, this law was blocked by a federal judge, who ruled it unconstitutional. The measure also faced strong opposition from parents and civil rights groups.
Arkansas followed suit, passing a comparable law earlier this year, as reported by Little Rock Public Radio. Meanwhile, in November 2024, Texas officials proposed integrating Bible teachings directly into school curricula. Oklahoma’s top education official issued a directive in July 2024 for public schools to begin teaching the Bible, although many large school districts have largely ignored the order. Despite the state legislature rejecting a $3 million funding request for this initiative, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters remains adamant that Bibles will be present in classrooms by the fall of 2025.
These moves have sparked strong backlash from school administrators, civil rights advocates, and legal experts who argue that such mandates infringe on students’ constitutional rights. Megan Lambert, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oklahoma, condemned the directive last year, emphasizing that “courts have repeatedly ruled that it is unconstitutional for public schools to coerce anyone to support or participate in religion or its exercise.”
