Texas is now the third state to have a ruling like this. The temporary ruling Wednesday says the state can’t require schools in Austin, Houston, and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, per the AP.
They report that a group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which is to go into effect on September 1. Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist, as well as non-religious families are involved in challenging the new law.
The Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is planning to appeal the ruling from U.S. District Judge Fred Biery. It expected that the case will end up before the Supreme Court.
Linda Harvey is president of Mission: America.
"Given the Judeo-Christian heritage of our nation, there is no valid reason that the Ten Commandments could not be posted in every public school classroom," says Harvey.
She said to look at the state of public schools as more and more references to the Lord and to the country’s Christian heritage has been removed from it.
"The schools are deteriorating; the climate is deteriorating. Children feel hopeless in many cases. They are not motivated. The academics have suffered,” states Harvey. “Much of that would change if people would focus on considering Christianity and the faith heritage that we have in this country."
Supporters of the Ten Commandments point out its nature, wondering what the parents were protesting against. Harvey agreed that the commandments sound like universal rules that can benefit any society.
"Many of the Ten Commandments are the basis of English common law, which is the basis of American law. Not stealing, not murdering, not perjuring oneself, and so on are universal. There should be no reason why people couldn't rally around those," Harvey explains.
She thinks that the issue is with the First Commandment, stating that there is one Lord and God Almighty.
“There are many people that their hackles raise over the idea that the Lord would assert His power and authority and dominion, but it's the truth,” says Harvey. “It should be, however, even from an objective standpoint, clearly permissible for the Ten Commandments as a historical document---just that alone--to be posted in every school in America.”
In addition to Texas, a federal appeals court blocked a similar law in Louisiana, and a judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters. The Louisiana attorney general said she would appeal the ruling, even if it needs to go to the Supreme Court, and supporters of the Ten Commandments continue to fight for the law in Arkansas.
