Judge Halts Ten Commandments Displays in Texas Schools
A significant legal development has emerged concerning the display of the Ten Commandments in Texas public schools. A federal judge in San Antonio has issued an injunction, ordering several school districts, including one in the San Antonio area and Conroe ISD, to remove any such displays, citing a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s protections against government-established religion. This ruling marks the latest legal blow to Senate Bill 10, a state law that mandates these displays in K-12 classrooms and is currently facing multiple federal lawsuits.
Texas Law and the Latest Ruling
Texas’s Senate Bill 10 requires the display of a poster of the Ten Commandments in every K-12 public school classroom. However, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, based in San Antonio, issued an injunction on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, against this mandate for specific districts. The judge ruled that displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion.
The injunction applies to 14 school districts named in a lawsuit filed in September by a group of multi-faith and nonreligious Texas families. These districts include Comal ISD (in the San Antonio metro area), Georgetown ISD, Conroe ISD, Flour Bluff ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Arlington ISD, McKinney ISD, Frisco ISD, Northwest ISD, Azle ISD, Rockwall ISD, Lovejoy ISD, Mansfield ISD, and McAllen ISD. Judge Garcia cited the 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case Stone v. Graham, which found a similar Kentucky law unconstitutional, and ordered the affected districts to remove any existing displays by December 1.
Broader Legal Landscape and Appeals
This is not the first legal challenge to SB 10. In a separate case, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery had previously ruled in August that the law’s requirement to display a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments was “plainly unconstitutional.” That case involved San Antonio-area districts such as Alamo Heights ISD, North East ISD, Lackland ISD, and Northside ISD.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has appealed Judge Biery’s ruling. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled hearings for January to consider appeals in that case and a similar Ten Commandments case originating from Louisiana. The recent injunction from Judge Garcia’s court is expected to also face an appeal, indicating an ongoing legal battle at higher court levels.
Key Legal Challenges to Texas’s Ten Commandments Law
| Aspect | Judge Garcia’s Ruling (Nov 2025) | Judge Biery’s Ruling (Aug 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Case Name | Cribbs Ringer v. Comal ISD et al | Nathan v. Alamo Heights ISD et al |
| Scope | 14 districts (incl. Comal ISD, Conroe ISD, Fort Worth ISD) | San Antonio-area districts (incl. Alamo Heights ISD, North East ISD) |
| Legal Basis | Establishment Clause (U.S. Constitution), citing Stone v. Graham | “Plainly unconstitutional” (specifically, Protestant version) |
| Outcome | Injunction to remove displays by Dec. 1 | Found law unconstitutional, appealed by AG Paxton |
| Appeal Status | Expected to be appealed | Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals hearing in January |
Plaintiff Voices and Advocacy for Religious Freedom
The latest lawsuit, Cribbs Ringer v. Comal Independent School District et al, was initiated by parents like Roxanne Cribbs Ringer, John Fuechsel, and Amber Rainey, representing their children in schools across the Western District of Texas. They argued that the law pressured students to adopt religions other than their own and forced them to accept state-approved religious scripture.
In response to the ruling, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which represent the plaintiffs, hailed the injunction as “a win for religious freedom and church-state separation.” Plaintiff Lenee Bien-Willner expressed relief, stating, “The government has no business interfering with parental decisions about matters of faith.” These organizations have also urged all Texas school districts, regardless of whether they were named in the lawsuits, to refrain from implementing SB 10, emphasizing that schools have an independent constitutional obligation that supersedes state law.
Attorney General Paxton’s Enforcement Efforts Continue
Despite these legal setbacks, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has actively pursued districts that have not complied with Senate Bill 10. Paxton has already filed lawsuits against three other school districts for failing to display the Ten Commandments as required by the law. This month, he sued Galveston ISD, and last week, he filed new lawsuits against two Austin-area districts, Leander ISD and Round Rock ISD. In these suits, Paxton alleged that the districts received donated copies of the Ten Commandments but have not displayed them, seeking court orders to compel their display.
What This Means for Texas Schools and Families
The rulings against Senate Bill 10 have significant implications for public education across Texas. While Attorney General Paxton continues to fight for the law’s implementation, federal courts are affirming the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. The ongoing appeals will ultimately determine the long-term fate of Ten Commandments displays in Texas classrooms, but for now, several districts are legally bound to remove them.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Texas Senate Bill 10?
Senate Bill 10 is a Texas state law that requires every K-12 public school classroom to display a poster of the Ten Commandments. - Why was the law challenged in court?
The law was challenged on the grounds that it violates the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prevents the government from establishing or endorsing religion, thereby pressuring students to adopt a favored religious scripture. - Which school districts are affected by the latest ruling?
The injunction applies to 14 specific school districts: Comal ISD, Georgetown ISD, Conroe ISD, Flour Bluff ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Arlington ISD, McKinney ISD, Frisco ISD, Northwest ISD, Azle ISD, Rockwall ISD, Lovejoy ISD, Mansfield ISD, and McAllen ISD. - What is the deadline for removing the displays?
For the districts named in Judge Garcia’s ruling, any displays of the Ten Commandments must be removed by December 1. - What happens next in this legal battle?
Attorney General Ken Paxton is appealing previous rulings, and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear appeals in January. Further appeals are expected for Judge Garcia’s recent injunction.
As the legal challenges continue to unfold, Texas communities should stay informed about these rulings and their potential impact on local school districts and the principle of religious freedom in public education.
Judge halts Ten Commandments in Texas schools
