Texas Greenlights Ten Commandments in Schools

0:00It's April 21st, from your city to your ears. This is Durham News Today, powered by AI. A federal appeals court just greenlit Texas to put up 10 Commandments posters in every public school classroom, the 5th US. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the state in a big ruling this week, overturning a lower court's block on the law. All 17 active judges wait in, and a majority said it's good to go. Texas past Senate Bill, 10 back in 2025, signed by Governor Greg Abbott last June. The rule calls for donated posters, at least 16 by 20 inches, hung where kids can see them. It's tied to a similar setup in Louisiana, where the same court already cleared the path last February. Families and civil rights groups sued right away, saying it pushes a Christian version on kids, and breaks the first amendment by favoring one. They argue kids can't escape it since schools mandatory, messing with parents' rights to guide their own beliefs. Pastors and parents called it un-American, hitting a church-state separation.

1:02State lawyers fire back that the 10 Commandments shaped US history, and it's just a passive wall display, no coercion since kids can ignore it. Judges grilled both sides during arguments, questioning old Supreme Court rulings, and whether staring at posters for 13 years counts as, pressure. This sets up a national clash that might hit the Supreme Court next, keeping the debate hot on religion in schools. Eyes are on how it plays out across states pushing these displays.