Texas Ten Commandments Law Faces Supreme Court Challenge

Texas' Ten Commandments law is now being challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court after civil rights groups asked the justices to review a case involving the requirement that public schools display the biblical text. The petition comes after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the Texas law to remain in effect.

What Does the Texas Ten Commandments Law Require?

According to WFAA, There were posters of the Ten Commandments going up last year in classrooms across Texas which serves approximately 5.5 million students. An appeals court that cleared the way for this Texas law and one similar in Louisiana, similar laws have already passed in Alabama and Arkansas.

Heather Weaver, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union said, " This is an issue of nationwide importance because a number of states have been considering these laws in recent years."

READ MORE: 10 Unwritten Commandments of East Texas Life

Why Are Texas Families Challenging the Law?

More than two dozen Texas families, represented by the ACLU and other groups, petitioned the court to hear their challenge after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in April upheld the ruling.

“We would like for the Supreme Court to make clear that singling out Scripture for display in public schools is a violation of the First Amendment,” Weaver said.

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What Has the 5th Circuit Said?

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed lower federal court rulings that had blocked some Texas school districts from putting up the Ten Commandments.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the law which went into place last September. Texas’ law only requires districts to hang the Ten Commandments if they are donated, conservative groups and individuals began dropping off boxes of posters at campuses across the state as the school year began last year.