The full U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear two high-profile cases challenging Texas’ and Louisiana’s laws requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. All active judges on the court agreed that these cases will proceed directly to an en banc hearing, bypassing the typical three-judge appellate panel.
Senate Bill 10, passed by the Texas Legislature this year, mandates that public elementary and secondary schools must display a durable poster of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous location in each classroom.
The display must meet specific size and textual requirements as outlined in the statute.
Supporters of the law argue it reinforces moral and historical foundations in schools, while opponents contend it could violate constitutional rights regarding the separation of church and state.
Shortly after the law was set to take effect, multiple lawsuits were filed arguing that the law infringes on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
In August 2025, a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law in the school districts named in the lawsuit. The district judge found the requirement to display the Ten Commandments is likely unconstitutional and cited concerns about coercion and parental rights in religious education.
The legal challenge is ongoing. Only districts named as defendants in the lawsuit are currently prohibited from implementing the statute. The law remains technically in effect for other districts unless further court orders change its status.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has advised school districts not named in the injunction to follow the new law, although some districts have refused to comply amid the uncertainty.
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