Texas Attorney General Sues Galveston ISD Over Ten Commandments Display
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Galveston Independent School District for refusing to display the Ten Commandments in school classrooms as required by law.
Background on Senate Bill 10
Earlier this summer, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10, mandating that every public school classroom in Texas must feature a poster displaying the Ten Commandments. Numerous school districts in the Houston area have had their elected boards vote to implement this requirement.
Legal Challenges
This rule has faced legal opposition. Following a civil rights lawsuit against 11 Texas school districts that displayed the posters, a federal judge ruled in August that the law is unconstitutional. A federal appeals court is scheduled to review the case next year.
“The attorney general’s litigation targeting the small island school district comes weeks after an Oct. 22 meeting in which the district’s board of trustees voted to delay the postings while the question is held up in court.”
Galveston ISD's Response
At an October 22 board meeting, Galveston ISD trustees voted to postpone installing the Ten Commandments posters, pending the ongoing court dispute.
Summary
This case highlights ongoing legal tension around displaying religious texts in public schools amid differing interpretations of constitutional rights.
Author’s summary: The lawsuit against Galveston ISD underscores the conflict over Senate Bill 10’s Ten Commandments posting requirement amid federal rulings challenging its constitutionality.