Texas Passes Law Mandating Ten Commandments in Public School Classrooms

“We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.” –James Madison, 4th President of the U.S.

On June 21, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10, which requires every public K-12 classroom in Texas to display a donated 16×20” (or larger) poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in a “highly visible location.” The bill passed by a vote of 82-46, with several Democrats joining Republicans in support.

The law, which takes effect on September 1, 2025, directs districts to accept privately donated displays that meet the size and text requirements. The text must be taken from the King James Bible, matching that of the Ten Commandments monument outside the Texas State Capitol, which was ruled constitutional by The Supreme Court. The state will defend any schools sued over compliance and cover related costs.

Texas will become the second state in the country to require the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public-school classroom after Louisiana passed similar legislation last year.

At least 16 states have considered or enacted similar bills—ranging from optional “opt-in” postings and displays in common areas (Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio) to outright mandatory classroom requirements (Arkansas) or bills that died in committee (South Dakota). Every new push rekindles the core question: can a government mandate religious text in public schools without breaching the wall between church and state?

Almost immediately after Abbott’s signing, a coalition of Texas families and liberal faith leaders filed suit in federal court, arguing that SB 10 violates the Establishment and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment by compelling government-mandated religious displays in public classrooms.

Public opinion on displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools is deeply divided and varies by region, religion, and political affiliation. A recent Pew Research Center analysis found that about 53% of Americans support allowing religious symbols like the Ten Commandments on public property. Support is especially strong in Southern states like Mississippi and Alabama, where it tops 75%. In contrast, majorities in states like Oregon, Vermont, and California oppose such displays.

Supporters

Supporters often argue that acknowledging the Ten Commandments reflects the Judeo-Christian heritage that influenced American society, without necessarily endorsing a specific religion. The Ten Commandments represent universal moral values as well as the historical foundations of the U.S. legal system.

Rep. Candy Noble (R-Lucas), the bill’s sponsor in the House, emphasized the historical importance of the Ten Commandments in American education. “Nothing is more deep-rooted in the fabric of our American tradition of education than the Ten Commandments,” she said. “The very way we treat others in our society comes from the principles found in the Ten Commandments.”

Supreme Court decisions like Van Orden v. Perry (2005) allowed a Ten Commandments monument on Texas state capitol grounds, as evidence that such displays can be constitutional if presented in a historical or educational context. Even so, the legal system has generally drawn a firm line when it comes to religious texts in public school settings.

Lemon Test

For over 50 years, the “Lemon test” has provided a uniform tool for lower courts to weigh church-state issues, from prayer in schools to financial aid for religious institutions. Following the three-part guidelines first articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court in Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971), such a law survives scrutiny only if it meets all three of these requirements:

Secular Purpose: The statute must have a clearly secular, non-religious objective.
Primary Effect: Its principal or “primary effect” must neither advance nor inhibit religion.
Entanglement: It must not foster an “excessive government entanglement” with religious institutions, whether through ongoing oversight, financial ties, or administrative involvement.

In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (2022), the Supreme Court explicitly abandoned the Lemon test in favor of an approach grounded in “historical practices and understandings,” signaling a shift toward clearer reference points but raising new questions about how to police subtle government-religion entanglements without a fixed three-part judicial standard.

Benefits

The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical principles that guide moral conduct. Like it or not, they apply to having a civil society. Seeing the Ten Commandments on the wall, whether you read them in church, or just as a bored kid looking around at what’s on the wall, leaves an impression. Religious or not, if everyone followed at least six of the Ten Commandments, the world would be a better place. We should have the Ten Commandments posted in all schools, colleges, court houses, city, county, state and federal buildings!

Ten Commandments read as follows: