A federal judge on Tuesday ordered 14 public schools in North Texas to remove displays of the Ten Commandments.
U.S. District Judge Orlando Luis Garcia, appointed by President Clinton, ruled that the Texas law requiring such displays violates the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed the lawsuit on behalf of several Texas families seeking to remove the Ten Commandments from certain public schools. The legal action followed a Texas law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
“Once again, a federal court has recognized that the Constitution bars public schools from forcing religious scripture on students,” said Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, according to CBS News. “This decision is a victory for religious liberty and a reminder that government officials shouldn’t favor one faith over others.”
The preliminary injunction requires the affected school districts to remove Ten Commandments displays by December 1 and prohibits the posting of new displays, CBS News reported. The districts affected include Fort Worth, Arlington, McKinney, Frisco, Northwest, Rockwall, and Mansfield.
In September, the ACLU, representing the Texas families, filed the lawsuit arguing that the displays violated religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that he is suing certain school officials who continued to display the Ten Commandments despite the law. “These officials and board members disregarded the will of Texas voters, who expect the legal and moral heritage of our state to be followed in accordance with the law,” Paxton said on X. “This lawsuit makes clear that no district may ignore Texas law without consequence.”