A press release from Texas Values on December 31 informed that the “amicus” or “friend of the court” brief was filed in representation of Texas State Senator Phil King and Texas State Representative Candy Noble. Both of them were authors of the Texas Ten Commandments law and imperative in the passing of it last year, and they continue to support it as the law enters the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The brief was filed near the end last year on December 3rd, but it was not approved until December 31st. The case, which was brought by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), will be heard in New Orleans on January 20th.
“The goal of Texas Ten Commandments law is to restore the historical tradition of recognizing our national heritage, reminding students of a fundamental foundation of American and Texas law – the Ten Commandments," stated King about the law. "I am confident the federal appeals court will allow this law to stand."
Jonathan Covey, director of policy at Texas Values, says that their filing will now to go before all 17 active 5th Circuit Court judges. Covey states that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) objection to their filing of an "amicus brief" is highly unusual in such cases requiring the court to issue an order on this matter specifically, which is about history.
"It's not about coercion. Our brief puts the Ten Commandments back in their proper legal and historical context, and it lets the courts hear directly from the lawmakers who wrote the law," states Covey.
Covey says that, when they filed this case, the ACLU tried to "rope in" a few larger school districts to be a part of the lawsuit.
"The preliminary injunction that's in place right now by the lower district court only applies to those few school districts. And all the other school districts are, of course, free to post Ten Commandments posters as they choose," informs Covey.
He thinks that the case will eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.
