Texas Poised to Become Largest State to Enforce Ten Commandments Display in Schools as ACLU Vows to Sue: 'Blatantly Unconstitutional'

Texas is on the verge of becoming the largest state to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, a move opponents say is a clear violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The initiative, known as S.B. 10, was passed in both chambers of the Texas legislature and now awaits the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott, who has publicly expressed his support.

The bill mandates that each classroom in the state's public elementary and secondary schools display a 16-by-20-inch poster of the Ten Commandments. While they won't be required to buy them with district funds, they will be required to display them if donated, as The Hill explains. The required text comes from a King James Bible version primarily associated with Protestant denominations, as the news site details:

"The legislation also effectively creates an official state version of the Ten Commandments, because only one specific iteration meets the new statute: a King James Bible-derived list of 'Thou shalt nots' that is used by many Baptists and evangelicals but not by a majority of Catholics, Jews, protestants or Eastern Orthodox Christians"

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas (ACLU), along with national civil liberties groups including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, announced plans to file a lawsuit if the bill is enacted.

"S.B. 10 is blatantly unconstitutional," the groups said in a joint statement. To back their claim they cited Stone v. Graham (1980), a ruling in which the U.S. Supreme Court determined that mandatory Ten Commandments displays in classrooms violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The statement also argues that these measures threaten religious neutrality in public institutions. "We will not allow Texas lawmakers to divide communities along religious lines," the ACLU of Texas said.

The law's design reflects a broader push by some conservative legislators to reintroduce religious elements into public education. Supporters argue the Ten Commandments hold historical value in the development of American law and ethics, as bill sponsor Rep. Candy Noble (R) explained during a debate reported by The Hill:

"This bill is about honoring our historical educational and judicial heritage with the discipline of the Ten Commandments"

Opponents, including Democratic Rep. James Talarico — a Christian and former minister — contend the bill imposes state-sponsored religion on a diverse student body. "We established that our founding fathers wanted a separation of church and state," Talarico argued. Noble countered, "That's a historical fact that I disagree with."

While Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has not yet signed the measure, he told lawmakers in early May to "get this bill to my desk. I'll make it law."

Neighboring Arkansas passed its own Ten Commandments bill in April.