Three mothers from Houston have initiated a lawsuit aimed at halting the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms throughout Texas. They contend that such displays infringe upon the state’s religious freedom law as well as a parental rights amendment approved by voters.
This legal action marks the latest challenge to Senate Bill 10, focusing on Texas law. Previous efforts to contest the display of the Ten Commandments in schools based on federal law, particularly the First Amendment’s principle of separation of church and state, have not succeeded.
The lawsuit, lodged in Harris County, seeks an immediate court order to remove the displays before the commencement of the school year in mid-August.
Emily Roth, one of the plaintiffs, expressed her concerns in a press release, stating that the presence of the Ten Commandments poster dismisses the diverse religious backgrounds of students and creates an environment where some may feel unwelcome. She emphasized, “It teaches students, and their teachers, that exclusion is acceptable, maybe even preferred. That is not a lesson I want my children learning from the state of Texas.”
The mothers are invoking the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, enacted in 1999, which prohibits government agencies from significantly burdening an individual’s free exercise of religion. They are also referencing the recently passed Texas Proposition 15, known as the “Parental Rights Amendment,” which guarantees parents the right to make decisions regarding their children’s upbringing.
Senate Bill 10 mandates that classrooms in Texas display posters of the King James Version of the Ten Commandments, which must be visible and no smaller than 16 by 20 inches. However, the plaintiffs pointed out that different religious traditions, including Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant, have varying interpretations and wording of the commandments.
In July 2025, sixteen families filed a lawsuit against eleven school districts to contest the new law, arguing that it violates the separation of church and state and coerces students into adopting religious values that may not resonate with them. A federal judge subsequently issued a ruling blocking the law in the affected districts.
However, a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court earlier this spring allowed the enforcement of Senate Bill 10, clarifying that the Texas law does not contravene the Constitution. This decision also paved the way for a similar statute in Louisiana.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has consistently defended the Ten Commandments as a vital component of American heritage and history. His office asserts that the posters, being displayed rather than actively taught, do not impose coercion since students can choose to overlook them.
This lawsuit comes on the heels of the Texas Board of Education’s recent approval of a new curriculum that incorporates biblical teachings into public education.
The plaintiffs, Roth, Audrey Rosa Nath, and Sanjam Kaur Sohal, each represent different approaches to religion in their families. Roth raises her children without religious affiliation, Nath embraces a blend of traditions including Jainism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Quakerism, while Sohal identifies as Sikh.
Megan Hassan, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, highlighted the common goal shared by the mothers despite their differing beliefs: “for their children to attend school without being compelled to display a message that conflicts with their faith.” She added that their intention was never to engage in a legal dispute but simply to have the poster removed from the classroom.
