Texas families ask Supreme Court to review Ten Commandments school law

More than two dozen Texas families from diverse religious and nonreligious backgrounds are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a state law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The petition, filed Monday, August 17, 2026, challenges Texas Senate Bill 10, which mandates the permanent display of a state-selected, Protestant version of the religious text in all public school classrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The petition argues the law violates the First Amendment's Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. It follows an April 2026 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit that upheld the requirement, stating it does not unconstitutionally coerce students or favor a specific religion. The families and their legal advocates contend this ruling conflicts with a 1980 Supreme Court precedent that struck down a nearly identical Kentucky law, creating confusion among lower courts.

The plaintiffs, who attend 22 school districts across Texas, include Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious families. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU,...