Bill Requiring Ten Commandments in Schools Moves Forward \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Texas lawmakers advanced a bill Saturday that would require all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, likely making it the largest state to do so. The measure passed a major vote in the Republican-led House and is expected to be signed by Governor Greg Abbott. Legal challenges are expected from critics citing constitutional concerns.
Quick Looks
- Texas House gives preliminary approval to classroom Ten Commandments bill
- If passed, it would become the largest state to enact such a mandate
- Final vote expected soon before heading to Gov. Abbott’s desk
- Abbott has signaled he will sign the legislation into law
- GOP sponsors say measure reflects judicial and educational history
- Critics warn of constitutional violations, church-state conflict
- Similar laws in Louisiana and Arkansas face legal challenges
- Bill mandates a specific English version of the commandments
- Attempts to include multiple faith texts or translations were rejected
- Faith leaders across denominations voice strong opposition
Deep Look
Texas is poised to become the largest state in the U.S. to require the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, after a Republican-backed proposal cleared a major legislative hurdle Saturday. The measure, now awaiting final approval in the Texas House, is expected to be signed by Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who has long supported similar religious initiatives.
The Bill at a Glance
The proposed law would require public schools to post a framed or poster version of the Ten Commandments, measuring at least 16 by 20 inches, in each classroom. The bill specifies a particular English translation of the commandments—despite variations across religious denominations, languages, and interpretations.
Supporters, including Republican co-sponsor Rep. Candy Noble, argue the mandate serves an educational and historical purpose. “The focus of this bill is to look at what is historically important to our nation educationally and judicially,” Noble said during Saturday’s legislative session.
Fellow Republican Rep. Brent Money took the argument further, stating, “We should be encouraging our students to read and study their Bible every day. Our kids in public schools need prayer, need Bible reading, more now than they ever have.”
The Texas bill comes as part of a broader national trend among conservative-led states pushing to introduce or reinforce religious content in public schools.
Legal and Constitutional Pushback
While proponents claim the legislation honors the foundational values of American law and education, opponents argue it clearly violates the First Amendment, which guarantees the separation of church and state.
Faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and constitutional scholars have raised alarms over the bill. A letter signed by dozens of Christian and Jewish clergy this year emphasized that such a mandate risks alienating thousands of Texas students who do not share the Judeo-Christian tradition or interpret the Ten Commandments differently.
Texas has roughly 6 million public school students across 9,100 schools, and many come from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, agnostic, or other religious backgrounds. Forcing one version of a religious text into public classrooms, critics argue, sends an exclusionary message.
Legal observers expect swift lawsuits if the bill is signed into law. Similar legislation passed in Louisiana and Arkansas has faced immediate legal hurdles. Louisiana’s version is currently on hold after a federal judge ruled it “unconstitutional on its face.”
Political and Judicial Context
The Texas proposal arrives amid a shifting legal landscape shaped by a more religion-friendly U.S. Supreme Court. Just this week, the court effectively blocked a publicly funded Catholic charter school in Oklahoma with a 4-4 tie, while recent rulings have increasingly allowed public funding for religious entities.
Texas lawmakers are simultaneously advancing a separate bill allowing public schools to offer voluntary daily prayer or religious text reading periods. Governor Abbott is also expected to sign that legislation.
Supporters frame these measures as efforts to restore traditional values and provide students with moral guidance. Critics counter that it’s a blatant use of state power to promote specific religious beliefs.
Amendments Rejected, Opposition Unmoved
On Saturday, Democratic legislators tried unsuccessfully to amend the Ten Commandments bill to include other religious texts, offer multiple translations, or provide opt-out options. All proposed changes were rejected by the Republican majority.
Opposition from religious leaders hasn’t been limited to non-Christians. Many Christian pastors argue that forcing the Ten Commandments into classrooms cheapens their spiritual meaning and ignores the diversity of belief even within Christianity.
“This is not how we teach faith,” one interfaith group leader said. “This is how we impose it.”
Abbott’s Longstanding Position
Governor Abbott is no stranger to Ten Commandments legal battles. In 2005, while serving as Texas attorney general, he successfully defended the presence of a Ten Commandments monument on the state Capitol grounds before the U.S. Supreme Court.
His support for this classroom version appears unwavering, despite the likelihood of future legal challenges.
What Comes Next
A final vote on the measure is expected within days. If it passes as anticipated, it will proceed to Abbott’s desk for signature—likely triggering immediate lawsuits from civil liberties groups such as the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
At stake is not only the content on classroom walls but also a larger constitutional question: Can a state mandate religious doctrine in a public school system serving a diverse population?
As Texas once again becomes a national focal point in the church-versus-state debate, both supporters and critics agree on one thing—this battle is far from over.
Bill Requiring Ten Bill Requiring Ten
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