CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: Prayer Returns to Texas Schools! New Law Requires Daily Prayer & Ten Commandments Posters [#NewTexasLaws #DailyPrayerTime #TenCommandmentPosters]
CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: Prayer Returns to Texas Schools! New Law Requires Daily Prayer & Ten Commandments Posters [#NewTexasLaws #DailyPrayerTime #TenCommandmentPosters]
BREAKING: New Texas laws will require daily prayer time and Ten Commandments posters into public schools.
If you support the move, please like this — or leave a comment with your concerns. Do you believe faith belongs in public education?
Hi everyone,
Texas has passed groundbreaking laws that will require daily prayer time and mandatory Ten Commandments posters into every public school classroom.
Supporters say this move restores America’s spiritual foundation, while critics warn it could violate the separation of church and state.
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QUESTION: What do the new laws actually say?
Ten Commandments Must Be Displayed in Classrooms:
Senate Bill 10 (S.B. 10), signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 21, 2025, requires all public school classrooms in Texas to display a specific English version of the Ten Commandments clearly visible in a durable poster or frame measuring at least 16 × 20 inches.
These displays must be legible from anywhere in the classroom.
Posters must be provided through private donations or local school district funds—the state will not cover the cost.
The law takes effect on September 1, 2025, and will be enforced starting with the 2025–26 school year.
Voluntary Prayer and Religious Text Reading:
Senate Bill 11 (S.B. 11)—signed alongside S.B. 10—allows school districts to designate a period during school hours for voluntary prayer or religious text reading.
Participation is entirely voluntary: Students need parental consent, and those who participate must waive the right to sue the school district under First Amendment claims.
This non-instructional time cannot replace core academic instruction.
Legal Pushback & Controversy
Multiple lawsuits have been filed federal court challenges, contending that the laws violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause (separation of church and state).
One federal lawsuit targets the Texas Education Agency and several school districts, while another was filed in San Antonio by parents from diverse religious backgrounds, backed by the ACLU and religious freedom groups.
Critics—spanning faith leaders, educators, and constitutional scholars—argue the laws privilege religion in public education and may marginalize non-Christian students.
QUESTION: When would Texas schools implement them?
Ten Commandments Posters (Senate Bill 10):
The law takes effect on September 1, 2025, with enforcement starting in the 2025–2026 school year.
Prayer Time & Religious Text Reading (Senate Bill 11):
Senate Bill 11 includes provisions for prayer time and religious text reading, effective September 1, 2025, with the start of the new academic year.
What This Means for Texas Schools
Start of Academic Year 2025–2026:
From the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year, classrooms are expected to feature Ten Commandments posters, and schools can implement policies for voluntary prayer or religious text reading as long as students have parental consent and it does not interfere with instructional time.
No State Funding:
The state will not provide funding for compliant posters. Therefore, school districts must rely on private donations or district resources.
Legal Challenges Ongoing:
Despite the implementation date, multiple lawsuits have already been filed, raising constitutional concerns under the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
QUESTION: What are the arguments of supporters and opponents?
Supporters’ Arguments:
Historical & Cultural Significance
The Ten Commandments are part of America’s moral and legal heritage.
– Displaying them is about acknowledging history, not enforcing religion.
– Similar displays exist in courthouses and public monuments.
Moral & Character Education
– Exposure to biblical principles can foster values honesty, respect, and personal responsibility.
– Proponents say it can counteract moral decline and behavioral issues in schools.
Religious Freedom & Expression
– Voluntary prayer and religious readings give students the right to express their faith openly.
– Supporters contend that the law protects student-led religious activities rather than mandating participation.
Local Control
– School districts can decide how prayer or religious readings fit into the schedule.
– Parents can give or withhold permission for their child to participate.
Political & Religious Alignment
– Seen as part of a broader push to reaffirm Christian values in public life.
– Leaders such as Gov. Greg Abbott characterize it as restoring traditions “erased” by courts over time.
Opponents’ Arguments
Constitutional Concerns
– The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits government from endorsing any religion.
– Posting religious texts in classrooms may be perceived as state promotion of Christianity.
Exclusion & Coercion
– Students from non-Christian faiths (or no faith) could feel alienated, pressured, or targeted.
– Even if “voluntary,” peer and teacher pressure make refusal difficult.
Precedent & Court Rulings
– US Supreme Court rulings (e.g., Stone v. Graham, 1980) have struck down mandatory posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools.
– Opponents say Texas is inviting costly legal battles in which the state may lose.
Diversity & Religious Neutrality
– Public schools serve students from many faiths; promoting one religion undermines inclusivity.
– Critics propose teaching about religion in a neutral, historical context instead.
Resource & Funding Concerns
– Even though the posters must be donated, opponents argue the effort diverts time and energy from academic priorities.
– Lawsuits could cost taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees.
Current Legal Status
Several lawsuits have already been filed by clergy, parents, and civil liberties groups (including Americans United for Separation of Church and State).
Plaintiffs argue the laws are unconstitutional, citing past federal precedents.
Supporters believe the current conservative-leaning Supreme Court may rule differently than in the 1980s.
QUESTION: What are the possible legal challenges ahead?
Key Legal Challenges Expected
1. Violation of the Establishment Clause
Basis: Opponents will argue that requiring a religious text (the Ten Commandments) to be posted in every classroom endorses one specific religion (Christianity/Judaism) in a public institution.
Past Precedent: In Stone v. Graham (1980), the Supreme Court struck down a Kentucky law requiring Ten Commandments postings, ruling it lacked a secular purpose and violated the Establishment Clause.
Challenge: Texas will argue that recent rulings (e.g., Kennedy v. Bremerton School District in 2022) show the Court has moved toward allowing more religious expression in public life.
2. Coercion Concerns
Basis: Even if prayer time is “voluntary,” students may feel social or peer pressure to participate, which courts have already found problematic.
Past Precedent: Lee v. Weisman (1992) — ruled that school-led prayer at graduation was coercive to students.
Challenge: Texas will try to portray it as student-led and parent-approved, reducing the perception of state coercion.
3. Neutrality Toward All Religions
Basis: Laws could be challenged for favoring one religion over others in a public setting.
Potential Arguments:
Why the Ten Commandments and not other faith traditions’ moral codes?
Does offering “religious text time” truly treat all religions equally, or does it disproportionately favor Christian practice?
Risk for Texas: Texas faces the risk that a court could see this as lack of religious neutrality, violating First Amendment protections.
4. State vs. Federal Constitutional Conflict
Basis: Texas might argue its state constitution permits such measures, but the Supremacy Clause means federal constitutional law takes precedence.
Expected Scenario: If lower federal courts strike down the laws, Texas will appeal to the US Supreme Court.
5. Potential Path to Supreme Court:
Why Texas May Welcome a Challenge:
Texas may welcome a challenge because the current Supreme Court’s conservative majority has been more favorable toward religious expression in public spaces.
Texas lawmakers may want to overturn Stone v. Graham and establish a new precedent that allows broader religious displays in schools.
Possible Outcomes:
Lower Court Injunction: Laws could be put on hold while litigation proceeds.
Narrow Ruling: The court may allow certain portions (such as voluntary prayer time) but strike down mandated Ten Commandments posters.
Broad Ruling: If SCOTUS takes the case, it could reshape decades of Establishment Clause precedent — potentially opening the door for more overt religious expression in public schools across the country.
QUESTION: Do you believe prayer and the Ten Commandments belong in public schools? Share your views in the Comments section.
Prayer Returns to Texas Schools! New Law Requires Daily Prayer & Ten Commandments Posters | Christian Breaking News!
Prayer Returns to Texas Schools! New Law Requires Daily Prayer & Ten Commandments Posters | Christian Breaking News!