Interfaith Alliance Applauds Federal Court Decision Rejecting Religious Coercion in Texas Schools

Interfaith Alliance, a leading advocate for healthy boundaries between government and religion, today welcomed a federal district court’s preliminary injunction blocking Texas school district defendants from implementing Texas Senate Bill 10, a law that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom across the state.

In his decision in Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, the federal judge ruled that the Texas law likely violates both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment. He made clear that “[T]he displays are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State’s favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs while at school.”

“This ruling is a victory for the Constitution, for Texas families, and for true religious freedom,” said Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. “Public schools should never be used to impose one religious viewpoint on all students. By rejecting SB10 as a violation of the First Amendment, the court ensures that public schools remain places where every student belongs, regardless of their and their families’ particular religious beliefs. And that the home and house of worship be the location for religious instruction, not outsourcing that sacred responsibility to the public school. As a pastor, a parent of children in public school, and an American, I applaud the court for defending the constitutional promise of religious freedom for all. Interfaith Alliance pledges to continue leading the fight for religious freedom in public schools with our diverse religious and civil rights allies.”

The court’s decision upholds a long-standing precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court in Stone v. Graham (1980), which ruled that mandatory displays of the Ten Commandments in public schools violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Interfaith Alliance and its partners are proud to be at the forefront of efforts across the country to defend against and defeat similar bills advanced by Christian nationalist activists – all of which seek to promote religious coercion and break down critical boundaries between religion and government. Strengthened and encouraged by rulings like this one, the organization will continue to mobilize a diverse array of faith leaders and communities to safeguard diversity and free expression in our public schools and beyond. 

“There are many more battles ahead,” said Rev. Raushenbush. “We’re confident that all of us on the side of the Constitution and diverse multi-faith democracy can continue to win critical victories for our democratic values.

MEDIA CONTACT: Prapti Ajmera, pajmera@westendstrategy.com

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Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

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