States are steadily requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in more public school spaces, and Tuesday’s ruling in Texas gave the latest boost to supporters of the mandates. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower-court decision that had blocked about a dozen Texas school districts from hanging the posters, setting up a new phase of appeals while school districts and teachers weigh how to respond to student questions.
In Texas, the policy drew intense attention as school board meetings played out, guidance circulated to teachers on what to say when students asked questions, and some teachers resigned rather than hang the posters in their classrooms. Texas’ requirement, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, took effect in September and required the postings in every public school classroom, with the districts required to hang the posters only if they are donated.
The appeals court action came amid a broader, multi-state push that Republicans in the South have led. Louisiana became the first state to pass a requirement in 2024, followed by Arkansas and then Texas. The latest legislative step mentioned by the Associated Press came from Alabama, where Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in 5th through 12th grade public school classrooms where U.S. history is routinely taught, as well as in common areas such as cafeterias and school libraries.
The Associated Press reported that at least 30 additional measures have been introduced for current sessions that would require the display, citing Plural bill-tracking software that compiled state legislation. Those measures, it said, were introduced by Republican lawmakers and nearly all were in GOP-controlled states, with only a few endorsed by legislative committees and some proposals seeking teaching that includes the document rather than only allowing or permitting displays.
Supporters of the Texas law said court rulings were key to overcoming challenges that the posters would proselytize to students or infringe on parents’ rights, including for families of other faiths. In its 9-8 decision, the 5th Circuit reversed the lower court and said the requirement does not violate students’ or parents’ rights, while emphasizing: “No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin.”
The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups that had challenged the Texas law through litigation on behalf of parents reacted to the decision with disappointment, saying it undermined families’ constitutional rights. In a statement, the groups said the “First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction,” and they said the decision “tramples those rights.”
The Texas case also sits within a wider series of court fights over Bible content in schools. The Associated Press noted that in 2024 Texas approved an optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools, and that a proposal set for a June vote would add Bible stories to required reading lists. The reporting also pointed to Oklahoma, where the former top education official required public schools to begin incorporating the Bible into lesson plans for students in grades 5 through 12, a move that prompted a lawsuit from parents and teachers and led many schools to ignore the mandate.
In February, the same appeals court cleared the way for Louisiana to enforce its own Ten Commandments display law. Louisiana’s Republican attorney general, Liz Murrill, celebrated that Texas decision by saying it “adopted our entire legal defense,” according to the Associated Press report.
After Tuesday’s ruling, the groups that challenged the Texas law said they anticipate appealing the 5th Circuit decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The battle over what public school students should see—whether it involves classroom displays, required reading, or incorporated Bible lesson content—now appears to be entering another round of higher-court scrutiny as additional states continue to consider or implement similar requirements.