Texas Gov. Abbott Signs Law Requiring Ten Commandments In Classrooms

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed SB10, a bill that requires all public elementary and secondary schools in Texas to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous place in each classroom, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

The poster must be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, using a legible typeface, and include a specific version of the Ten Commandments text as outlined in the bill. If a school does not already have such a display, it must accept privately donated posters that meet the specified requirements. While schools are not required to purchase the posters using district funds, they are mandated to display them. The bill also stipulates that the attorney general will defend any legal claims arising from a school’s compliance with this requirement, and the state will be responsible for associated expenses, costs, judgments, or settlements.

The bill was signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025, and it will take effect on September 1, 2025. The bill passed its third and final reading in the Texas House on May 25, 2025, by a vote of 82-46. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Candy Noble (R-Lucas), argued that the Ten Commandments had been used in textbooks throughout much of U.S. history until the 1971 Supreme Court case Lemon v. Kurtzman forced their removal from the classroom.

The bill is likely to provoke a court challenge as a potential violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Based on historical legal precedents, particularly Stone v. Graham (1980), the Texas law mandating Ten Commandments displays in public schools might be ruled as a violation First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The Supreme Court ruled such displays lack a secular purpose and promote religion, despite the Supreme Courts own hanging of the Ten Commandments. However, recent cases like Kennedy v. Bremerton (2022) suggest a shift toward allowing religious expression, creating uncertainty. A similar Louisiana law was blocked in 2024, citing Stone v. Graham. While the current precedent points to unconstitutionality, the Supreme Court’s evolving stance could lead to a different outcome if challenged.