AUSTIN, Texas — A federal judge issued a temporary injunction on Friday halting the implementation of a Texas law that would have required public school classrooms to display posters of the Ten Commandments.
The injunction follows a lawsuit filed by several civil rights groups that challenged the law, arguing it violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The law was scheduled to take effect this school year.
The judge emphasized the need to adhere to constitutional principles and ruled that the plaintiffs had presented a credible challenge to the law’s constitutionality.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office announced plans to appeal the decision, maintaining that the law is legal and consistent with historical traditions in education.
State lawmakers had argued that the Ten Commandments have moral and historical significance, and intended the legislation to reinforce ethical values in schools.
Before the injunction, school districts across Texas had begun preparations to comply with the law. The Texas Education Agency had issued implementation guidelines ahead of the school year.
