A U.S. Appeals Court ruled on Tuesday that the state of Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed, moving forward the conservative movement to bring Christianity into classrooms. 

The court ruling in favor of Texas’ conservative majority was the 5th U.S. Circuit of Appeals Court, who delivered a 9-8 decision that helped the movement in neighboring states including Arkansas and Louisiana. The New Orleans based court defended their decision stating, “No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin.”

The decision reverses a previous ruling by a lower court which stated that some of the state’s largest school districts could not display the commandments. On Mar. 17 in Arkansas, the same law was struck down by a federal judge following backlash from the public in the form of lawsuits and in response to the unconstitutionality of pushing these beliefs on constituents. 

Contrasting opinions came from both sides of the ruling as those for the law argued that it is constitutional and a positive for the state’s “moral values”, while civil rights activists groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenged the ruling by appealing to the Supreme Court. They argued that hanging the Ten Commandments specifically amounts to attempting to influence students’ religious beliefs and government interference in schools breaking the separation of church and state. 

This argument is furthered by additional mandates within the state that promoted Christianity in classrooms like the Bible’s incorporation into elementary schools and a proposal which would add Bible stories to reading lists in Texas classrooms. However, this is questionable considering the widespread movement to ban books based on sensitive material and anti-DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives.

“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.