Texas Values is urging public school districts statewide to display donated Ten Commandments posters in classrooms after a Galveston County judge ordered Galveston Independent School District to install the displays within 10 days.
The October 1 order, issued by 122nd District Judge Jeth Jones, followed a lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over the district's refusal to implement Senate Bill 10. The ruling requires Galveston ISD to display approximately 500 posters donated by state Sen. Mayes Middleton (R). The judge also rejected the district's request to delay the case pending potential U.S. Supreme Court review.
Jonathan Saenz, president and attorney for Texas Values, said other districts should not wait to comply with the law.
"School districts do not have the authority to put Texas law on hold for any reason," said Saenz. "The full Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of Senate Bill 10."
The law requires Texas public schools to display qualifying Ten Commandments posters in each classroom and accept qualifying privately donated displays.
In April, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, ruled that S.B. 10 did not violate the First Amendment's Establishment or Free Exercise clauses. The court vacated a preliminary injunction and dismissed the plaintiff's federal constitutional claims. The mandate took effect May 12. Families challenging the law have since sought U.S. Supreme Court review.
A Harris County district also denied a request for a temporary restraining order on August 7 seeking to block displays in Spring Branch, Houston, and Cypress-Fairbanks school districts.
Texas values said it can provide qualifying posters at no cost and offer legal guidance to districts. The organization also said it is prepared to pursue further legal action to support implementation of the law.
