From the New York Times: A federal judge ordered some public school districts in Texas on Tuesday to remove Ten Commandment displays from their classroom walls by next month, a victory for families who had argued that the posters infringed on their religious freedom.
The ruling from Judge Orlando L. Garcia, of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, comes after Gov. Greg Abbott signed in June a law requiring school districts to display the Ten Commandments in a “conspicuous location” in each classroom. The ruling applies to 14 public school districts, including ones in Fort Worth, Arlington and Conroe.
In his ruling, Judge Garcia wrote that “it is impracticable, if not impossible, to prevent plaintiffs from being subjected to unwelcome religious displays” without stopping school districts from enforcing that law.
The decision comes amid an ongoing battle over whether states can legally compel school districts to display the Ten Commandments. In June, a panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said a similar law in Louisiana requiring the postings was “plainly unconstitutional.” The State of Louisiana asked the full appeals court to rehear the case, and a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20. The court will also hear a challenge to Texas’ law in that hearing.
ABOUT THIS JUDGE: Judge Orlando L. Garcia, 73, a Democrat, was nominated by president Bill Clinton in November 1993 and confirmed by the US Senate in March 1994.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued multiple school districts who have refused to post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.
“America is a Christian nation, and it is imperative that we display the very values and timeless truths that have historically guided the success of our country,” Paxton said in a statement last month.
Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD for Refusing to Display the Ten Commandments in Classrooms: https://t.co/oTQidutJVA
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) November 18, 2025
WATCH the following report from KENS-5 for more details:
The judge’s ruling has prompted outrage from many conservatives:
TEN COMMANDMENTS: Clinton Judge ruled ordered Texas schools to remove the Ten Commandments before students leave for Christmas break in multiple school districts. While these same schools are installing Islamic prayer rooms to accommodate the influx of Islamic migrants they’ll be… pic.twitter.com/GoPWVA2YjX
— @amuse (@amuse) November 19, 2025
READ MORE from the New York Times.
Breaking News: A federal judge ordered some public school districts in Texas to remove Ten Commandment displays from their classroom walls. https://t.co/ejpZCLhXW3
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 19, 2025
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