A Dallas activist group is suing the state and some North Texas school districts to block a new law requiring classrooms display the Ten Commandments.
On Tuesday, the Next Generation Action Network Legal Advocacy Fund filed a lawsuit saying Senate Bill 10 is unconstitutional and infringes on students' religious freedom. Plaintiffs include several parents, many of them religious leaders, on behalf of their children.
"Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every Texas public-school classroom unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, reverence, and adoption of the state's mandated religious scripture," the lawsuit reads.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 10 into law Saturday. It requires public schools to display a poster or framed copy, at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, of the Ten Commandments. Supporters have said U.S. law is built on the Ten Commandments.
NGAN said on social media the law is about "politicizing religion."
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, the Texas Education Agency and school boards of Dallas, DeSoto and Lancaster ISDs are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
KERA News reached out to the TEA for comment on the lawsuit and will update with any response.
DeSoto ISD said in a statement the district is "closely monitoring the legal proceedings and guidance surrounding S.B. 10.
"As with all emerging legislation, DeSoto ISD will work in consultation with its legal counsel and governing agencies to ensure that any required actions are implemented responsibly, with the best interest of the students and families at the center."
Lancaster ISD said in an email the district is aware of the lawsuit and is currently monitoring the information.
Dallas ISD said it does not comment on pending litigation.
A coalition of civil rights groups said earlier this week it plans to sue Texas over the law. A federal appeals court recently struck down a similar law in Louisiana.
Olla Mokhtar is KERA's news intern. Got a tip? Email Olla at omokhtar@kera.org.
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