Texas is set to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, positioning the state at the forefront of a nationwide debate over religious expression in education.

Ten Commandments: Governor Greg Abbott

This move, signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott, is already drawing national attention and is widely expected to face immediate legal challenges from groups who argue it violates the foundational principle of separation of church and state (Vertuno, 2025).

Texas joins other conservative-led states, such as Louisiana and Arkansas, in attempting to integrate religious texts into public school settings (Vertuno, 2025).

While a similar law in Louisiana was recently blocked by a federal appeals court, signaling potential legal hurdles for the Texas mandate, proponents of the law argue that the Ten Commandments are an essential part of the nation’s historical and judicial bedrock.

Republican State Representative Candy Noble, a co-sponsor of the bill, stated that its focus is “to look at what is historically important to our nation educationally and judicially” (Vertuno, 2025).
However, the law has sparked considerable opposition, even among some Christian and other faith leaders. Critics argue that mandating the display of the Ten Commandments, which can vary in translation and interpretation across different faiths and denominations, infringes upon the religious freedom of students and staff who may not share those beliefs (Vertuno, 2025).

A letter signed by numerous Christian and Jewish faith leaders highlighted the significant diversity within Texas’s nearly six million students, many of whom have no connection to the Ten Commandments (Vertuno, 2025).

This raises important questions about inclusivity and respect for diverse spiritual paths within the public education system.

Governor Abbott, who successfully argued in 2005 for the right to keep a Ten Commandments monument on the Texas Capitol grounds, has been a consistent advocate for public religious displays (Vertuno, 2025).

His signing of this bill, alongside another allowing voluntary prayer or religious text reading in schools, underscores a clear legislative intent to infuse more religious presence into public institutions.

As Christians, we are called to consider how such mandates align with principles of evangelism, religious liberty, and respectful engagement with those of differing beliefs.
The legal battles are far from over.

The recent federal appeals court ruling against Louisiana’s similar law, issued by the same 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that will hear cases from Texas, suggests a challenging path ahead for the new mandate (Vertuno, 2025).

As this story unfolds, it presents an opportunity for believers to pray for wisdom and understanding for all involved, and to consider what it truly means to uphold religious freedom in a pluralistic society.

Sources:

Vertuno, J. (2025, June 21). Texas law will require Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom. Associated Press.