All articles tagged with #religion in schools
Civil liberties groups and multifaith families have petitioned the Supreme Court to review a 5th Circuit ruling that upheld a Texas law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments. The challengers argue the law violates the Establishment Clause, while the lower court dismissed the precedent as outdated. The case could redefine how religious displays are evaluated in public education.
Texas’s State Board of Education approved TEKS updates that will require Bible passages to be read as part of the literacy standards (including Psalm 23 and the Prodigal Son) and rewrites to K–8 social studies that emphasize U.S. and Texas history, with rollout slated for the 2030–31 school year. The move prompted extensive testimony and debate over religious bias and the place of Islam in the curriculum, with critics warning it privileges Christianity and may blur the line between religion and education, while supporters say it reflects American cultural foundations. Some high school standards were delayed for revision in September.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas may require Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms, reversing a district court and setting up a potential Supreme Court clash over religion in public education. Supporters call it a victory for traditional values and the historical foundations of U.S. law, while critics led by the ACLU argue it violates the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. The ruling follows similar actions in Louisiana and comes as Texas had begun displaying posters in many districts after the law took effect, despite injunctions in others.
A 5th Circuit panel lifted a lower court injunction and cleared the way for Louisiana’s law mandating poster-sized Ten Commandments displays in public classrooms to take effect. The court said there isn’t enough factual detail yet to rule on constitutionality—such as how prominently the posters will appear or whether teachers will reference them—leaving the legal questions unresolved even as the policy moves forward. Dissenters warned the statute risks government endorsement of religion. Arkansas has a similar law being challenged, and Texas already implemented one.
The new Oklahoma State Department of Education superintendent, Lindel Fields, has rescinded a previous mandate requiring public schools to include Bibles in classrooms and incorporate religious content into lessons, planning to dismiss related lawsuits and leave the decision to individual districts, marking a shift away from the previous administration's efforts to promote religious education.
Oklahoma superintendent Ryan Walters, known for promoting Christian nationalist views and right-wing policies in schools, is resigning to lead the Teacher Freedom Alliance, aiming to oppose teachers unions and expand his conservative agenda nationally.
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma's controversial school superintendent known for promoting Bibles and prayer in public schools, is resigning to become CEO of the conservative nonprofit Teacher Freedom Alliance, after facing criticism from both liberals and conservatives.
Texas has passed a law requiring all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, making it the largest state to do so, despite legal challenges and concerns over the separation of church and state.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Louisiana law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, citing it as unconstitutional due to its overtly religious purpose. The law, supported by Republican officials, was challenged for violating the First Amendment's prohibition on government establishment of religion. The judge's decision suggests that opponents of the law are likely to succeed in their lawsuit. The legislation is part of a broader conservative effort to integrate religious elements into public education.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Louisiana law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms, citing it as unconstitutional due to its overtly religious purpose. The law, passed by the state's Republican-dominated legislature, was challenged for violating the First Amendment's establishment clause. The judge's decision aligns with a 1980 Supreme Court ruling against a similar law in Kentucky. Proponents argue the measure's historical significance, but opponents claim it imposes religious coercion on students.
A federal judge in Louisiana has temporarily blocked a state law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms, citing it as unconstitutional due to its religious intent. The law, passed by the Republican-dominated legislature, was challenged for violating the First Amendment's separation of church and state. The judge's decision suggests that opponents of the law, who argue it imposes religious views on students, are likely to succeed in their lawsuit. Similar laws have faced legal challenges in other states.
Texas lawmakers have passed a bill allowing unlicensed chaplains to serve as school counselors. The law permits school districts to decide whether they want a chaplain who isn’t certified by the state working alongside counselors and mental health services in their schools. The bill allows schools to use a volunteer or employ chaplains “to provide support, services, and programs for students as assigned by the board of trustees of the district or the governing body of the school.” The legislation already passed the Texas Senate and now will go to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who is likely to sign it into law.