In the latest episode of “Church Meets State, and State Brings a Hammer,” Texas is once again in federal court defending its law that forces public schools to hang giant Ten Commandments posters in every classroom. A federal judge already struck it down as blatantly unconstitutional—something about “favoring one religion over others”—but Attorney General Ken Paxton, ever the crusader for performative piety, appealed anyway.
Paxton insists the Ten Commandments are “a cornerstone of American law,” conveniently skipping over the whole “no official religion” part of the First Amendment. The state’s argument boils down to: “It’s just a passive wall decoration! Like a crucifix, but for civics!” Meanwhile, parents of all faiths (and no faith) have filed lawsuits saying their kids shouldn’t have to learn about adultery from a classroom wall before they learn long division.
Judge Fred Biery (whose patience should qualify as a theological virtue by now) ruled that the law crosses the line “from exposure to coercion.” That’s lawyer-speak for “stop pretending this isn’t evangelism with extra steps.” Texas now wants the entire Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals—all 17 judges—to take a crack at it, probably because when you lose, the only logical move is to make more people watch you lose again.
If this all sounds familiar, that’s because Louisiana already tried it and was told “no” by the same court. But Texas, never one to miss a chance to waste taxpayer money proving it doesn’t understand the First Amendment, is pushing ahead. The state’s lawyers even claim it’s fine because the signs are “donated,” which is like saying you’re not forcing religion into schools—you’re just politely letting it sneak in through the side door.
Maybe next session the Legislature can pass SB 11: “Thou Shalt Not Learn Critical Thinking.”
https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17064323/texas-schools-commandments-requirement-lawsuit
