Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Galveston Independent School District for refusing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, escalating the state’s push to implement a controversial new law that has already sparked multiple legal challenges.
The lawsuit, filed earlier this week, aims to force Galveston ISD to comply with Senate Bill 10, which requires public schools across Texas to prominently display the Ten Commandments in every classroom on durable posters measuring at least 16 by 20 inches.
“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 stated in announcing the legal action.
Religious Freedom Battle Intensifies
The attorney general’s lawsuit comes amid significant pushback against SB 10, which took effect earlier this year. Unlike some districts that have been temporarily exempted by federal court orders, Galveston ISD isn’t currently protected by any such judicial shield, according to Paxton’s office.
Why target Galveston specifically? The coastal district appears to be among the most visible holdouts against the law, which critics argue blurs the line between church and state in public education.
Paxton has been aggressively defending the legislation, even claiming there’s a widespread “misconception” that the phrase “separation of church and state” appears in the U.S. Constitution. The phrase itself doesn’t appear verbatim in the Constitution, though it has been a cornerstone principle in Supreme Court interpretations of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause for decades.
The law has drawn fierce opposition from families of various faiths and backgrounds. Multiple legal challenges have been launched against SB 10, with plaintiffs arguing that mandatory Ten Commandments displays violate both the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and parental rights regarding religious education.
Still, Paxton’s lawsuit signals the state’s determination to implement the law despite ongoing constitutional questions. The specific requirements—posters must be at least 16 by 20 inches and placed prominently in every classroom—have raised practical concerns among educators already struggling with limited resources and classroom space.
The case represents the latest flashpoint in an intensifying national debate around religious expression in public schools, with Texas now at the epicenter of a constitutional showdown that could eventually make its way to the Supreme Court.
