Texasclassrooms are poised to display a religious text that has long sat at the centre of America's culture wars. A federal appeals court has now cleared the way, handing conservative lawmakers a decisive legal victory with consequences that stretch beyond one state.
In a tightly split 9–8 decision, the5th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruledthat Texas can require public schools to display the Ten Commandments. The judgement cuts through years of legal argument and sends a clear signal about how far states may go in introducing religious material into publicly funded education.
The court's majority dismissed claims that the mandate infringes constitutional protections.
'No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin,' the ruling states.
The New Orleans-based court has jurisdiction over Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Its rulings often carry influence well beyond those borders, particularly on politically charged questions.
The immediate effect is to revive a Texas law that had been partially blocked by a lower federal court. That earlier ruling had prevented roughly a dozen school districts, including some of the state's largest, from putting up the displays. Now, the legal barrier has been lifted.
The Texas measure does not stand alone as it forms part of a broader effort by conservative lawmakers to reintroduce religious themes into public education.In 2024, Texas approved an optional Bible-infused curriculumfor younger pupils. Another proposal, scheduled for a vote in June, would weave Bible stories into required reading lists.
The Ten Commandments mandate is the most visible expression of that agenda. Signed into law by Republican Governor Greg Abbott, it took effect in September and represents the most expansive attempt in the US to install the text in classrooms.
Supporters argue the Commandments are foundational to the country's legal and moral traditions.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton described the ruling as 'a major victory for Texas and our moral values,' adding that 'the Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it's important that students learn from them every single day.'
Source: International Business Times UK
