Texas Families Bring Lawsuit to Halt Public School Districts Throughout the State

A coalition of 18 diverse Texan families has come together to initiate a collective legal action aimed at halting the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms across Texas. Despite previous federal court rulings deeming Senate Bill 10 unconstitutional, school districts in the state persist in showcasing the Ten Commandments, prompting this unified response to safeguard the religious freedom of all public school students and their families in Texas.

The new class action lawsuit, Ashby v. Schertz-Cibolo-Universal ISD, marks the third legal challenge to S.B. 10 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, with pro bono legal counsel provided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. In all three cases, these organizations advocate for Texas families who oppose the imposition of a state-endorsed version of the Ten Commandments on their children, a practice they view as a violation of their religious liberties.

Given the persistent disregard for federal court injunctions that have restricted some Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments, the necessity of the Ashby case is evident. This legal effort seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to enforce the suspension of any public school district, not already under litigation, from exhibiting the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

Representing a spectrum of religious and nonreligious beliefs, the plaintiff families hail from 16 school districts not previously addressed in the two prior lawsuits. These districts, including Argyle, Birdville, Carroll, Clear Creek, Deer Park, Fort Sam Houston, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Katy, Liberty Hill, Magnolia, Medina Valley, Pearland, Prosper, Richardson, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City, and Wylie ISDs, are located across major metropolitan areas in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

The plaintiffs articulate diverse concerns regarding the state-mandated display of the Ten Commandments. For example, Mari Gottlieb, a member of a Jewish, Christian, and Chinese American family, underscores the importance of embracing multiple traditions and views the imposition of one as a form of indoctrination that compromises parental guidance and perpetuates a sense of exclusion. Similarly, Caitlyn Besser, representing Unitarian Universalist beliefs, stresses the clash between the required Ten Commandments posters and her family’s faith, centered on principles of equity and acceptance.

The legal team supporting the class action lawsuit emphasizes the paramount need to respect constitutional principles and protect the religious freedom of all public school students. Chloe Kempf of the ACLU of Texas stresses that students and families, not government mandates, should dictate religious practices. Daniel Mach, Director of the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, underscores that religious liberty extends to all public school students and families, irrespective of political preferences. Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, warns against coercive religious indoctrination in public schools, asserting that the decision to engage with religion should rest with families. Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, decries the imposition of state-endorsed faith perspectives on young students, highlighting the infringement on conscience caused by unconstitutional laws.

The legal journey against S.B. 10 traces back to the initial Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District case in July 2025, which was followed by a subsequent legal battle in Cribbs Ringer v. Comal Independent School District. Throughout this litigation history, these organizations have tirelessly advocated for the upholding of constitutional principles and the protection of religious freedom in Texas public schools.