In a sharply divided 9-8 decision, the full US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has upheld a Texas law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every public elementary and secondary school classroom, handing a significant victory to conservative advocates pushing for greater recognition of religious heritage in public education.

The ruling, issued on April 21, reverses earlier lower-court injunctions that had blocked implementation of Senate Bill 10.

Signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in June 2025, the measure mandates that a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments, at least 16 by 20 inches, be prominently displayed in each classroom.

The displays are to be funded entirely through private donations, not public tax dollars.

Writing for the majority, the court applied a “history and tradition” test, concluding that the requirement does not violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause or Free Exercise Clause.

The judges emphasized that references to the Ten Commandments have long been part of America’s legal and moral foundations and serve an educational rather than coercive purpose.

Students are not required to read, recite, or follow the text.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton hailed the decision as a landmark win.

“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it is important that students learn from them every single day,” Paxton said in a statement.

The ruling has drawn immediate and strong reactions across the country.

Supporters, including evangelical organizations and faith-based education groups, describe it as a long-overdue acknowledgment of the nation’s Judeo-Christian roots.

They argue the displays promote universal moral values without endorsing any specific religion.

Civil liberties groups and opponents, however, condemned the decision.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and attorneys representing multifaith families and parents called it an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.

“We are extremely disappointed,” the groups said in a joint statement.

“This ruling goes against fundamental First Amendment principles and binding U.S. Supreme Court precedent.”

Plaintiffs in the case, including families from multiple Texas school districts, have already announced plans to appeal directly to the US Supreme Court.

Legal analysts say the case is poised to become a major national test of how far states can go in incorporating religious texts into public schools following recent shifts in Supreme Court jurisprudence.

Texas’ law is currently the most expansive in the nation.

Similar but narrower efforts are underway in states such as Louisiana and Arkansas, making the Fifth Circuit’s decision closely watched by education and religious-freedom advocates nationwide.

The story continues to develop as legal challenges and public debate unfold.