Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is demanding that 29 school districts prove they’re following state laws requiring Ten Commandments displays and prayer time votes in classrooms — and he’s doing it while running for U.S. Senate.
Mr. Paxton’s office announced the investigation Thursday, ordering districts to verify compliance with two state laws: Senate Bill 10, which took effect last September and requires schools to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments, and Senate Bill 11, which requires school boards to vote on whether to implement daily prayer or religious text reading time.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld SB 10 in a narrow 9-8 ruling in April after legal challenges claimed it violated the First Amendment.
But compliance has been uneven. Dallas ISD says it hasn’t received a donated copy. El Paso ISD says it’s unaware of any donations. Most Houston-area districts voted down prayer resolutions, noting students can already pray voluntarily.
“I will always fight for students’ fundamental right to pray in our schools,” Mr. Paxton said.
Galveston ISD was already under a separate Paxton investigation for noncompliance.
Read more:
• Texas AG demands proof that school districts display Ten Commandments
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