Texas Advances Bill Requiring Ten Commandments in Public School Classrooms

This 5-foot tall stone slab bearing the Ten Commandments stands near the Capitol in Austin, Texas, in this July 29, 2002 file photo

Texas is on the verge of becoming the largest U.S. state to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms under a Republican-backed bill that cleared a key legislative hurdle on Saturday. The proposal, which critics say violates the constitutional separation of church and state, is expected to become law with the support of Governor Greg Abbott.

The Republican-controlled Texas House gave the bill preliminary approval, with a final vote anticipated in the coming days. If passed, it will move to Governor Abbott’s desk, and he has signaled his intent to sign it.

“The focus of this bill is to look at what is historically important to our nation educationally and judicially,” said Republican Representative Candy Noble, who co-sponsored the legislation. Supporters argue the Ten Commandments form a foundational element of the U.S. legal and educational systems.

The bill mandates that every classroom in Texas public schools display a 16-by-20-inch poster or framed copy of a specific English version of the Ten Commandments. However, critics point out that the commandments are interpreted differently among various religious denominations, and translations may not reflect the beliefs of all students or families.

Democratic lawmakers proposed amendments to the bill requiring schools to include other religious texts or offer alternative translations of the Ten Commandments, but those efforts were defeated.

Opposition has also come from faith leaders. A letter signed by dozens of Christian and Jewish clergy argued that the measure could infringe on the religious freedom of students from other faiths. Texas public schools serve nearly six million students across approximately 9,100 campuses, and many students do not follow traditions that include the Ten Commandments.

The legislation follows a growing national trend in conservative-led states aiming to integrate religious elements into public education. Louisiana and Arkansas have passed similar laws, though Louisiana's is currently blocked after a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional.

Saturday’s vote in Texas comes just days after a U.S. Supreme Court deadlock effectively ended a plan to open a publicly funded Catholic charter school in Oklahoma. The vote reflects ongoing tension nationwide over the intersection of religion and public education, a debate intensified by recent court decisions allowing more public funds to be directed toward religious institutions.

In addition to the Ten Commandments bill, Texas lawmakers have also passed a measure permitting daily voluntary periods of prayer or Bible reading during school hours. Governor Abbott is expected to sign that bill as well.

“We should be encouraging our students to read and study their Bible every day,” said Republican Representative Brent Money. “Our kids in our public schools need prayer, need Bible reading, more now than they ever have.”

In 2005, then-Attorney General Greg Abbott successfully defended the display of a Ten Commandments monument on the Texas Capitol grounds before the U.S. Supreme Court. The current legislation builds on that precedent, but legal experts anticipate a challenge in court once the law is enacted.