A federal appeals court is set to hear arguments Tuesday over a Texas law requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.
The case could determine whether the mandate can take effect statewide after months of legal uncertainty.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans will consider the Texas law alongside a similar Louisiana statute during arguments scheduled before the court's full slate of active judges, according to The New York Times.
Both laws have been blocked by lower courts on constitutional grounds, with judges citing potential violations of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause.
Texas lawmakers approved the measure last year, and Gov. Greg Abbott signed it into law, mandating that the Ten Commandments be displayed prominently in public school classrooms.
Since then, federal judges in Texas have issued injunctions preventing enforcement of the law across dozens of school districts, including major systems serving Houston, Fort Worth, and surrounding areas.
The appeals court review comes after a three-judge panel from the 5th Circuit previously blocked Louisiana's law statewide, calling it "plainly unconstitutional."
That ruling has fueled debate over whether the full panel will uphold or overturn those conclusions.
Supporters of the Texas law argue that the Ten Commandments should be viewed as a historical document that influenced American legal traditions rather than as a purely religious directive.
They point to recent Supreme Court rulings, including a 2022 decision allowing a high school football coach to pray on the field after games, as evidence that courts have shifted toward allowing greater public expression of religion.
Opponents counter that requiring the commandments in classrooms amounts to government endorsement of religion and places students of differing faiths, or no faith, in an uncomfortable position.
Several educators and school officials across Texas have responded differently while the law remains unenforced, with some declining to display the posters and others attempting to balance them with materials from other belief systems.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has continued to push for enforcement, filing lawsuits against districts that refuse to post the displays and warning others that they may face legal action.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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