The Ten Commandments in Texas Public Schools

God’s word displayed in the public square has a definitive presence and speaks unapologetically in a world opposed to His truth. As a public high school teacher, I witnessed this firsthand in the Texas school district where I work.

In the summer of 2025, the Texas legislature passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every classroom, without exception. The law was challenged by many school districts, but fortunately, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the regulation. Classrooms everywhere in Texas now display God’s Ten Commandments. Within my district, the commands were posted three weeks before school was dismissed for the summer, yet during this brief period, I was struck by the presence of God’s word and the reactions to it.

Foremost, observing the Ten Commandments in the public arena, where young people spend their days, provides a loud contrast to the cultural environment. That’s right, “loud” is the correct expression. Yahweh’s words cannot be avoided, and they are not silent. After years of LGBTQ agenda and indoctrination, Scripture posted by mandate is 180 degrees from debauchery’s path. Consequently, I noticed that some students took offense as I overheard discussions about the new postings. Sadly, a few had never read the Ten Commandments prior to seeing them on school walls.

Some Christians state that posting the Ten Commandments in public schools is a waste of time, but as I meditated on the real-world event, I concluded that the Commandments should be posted in schools, and even more, God’s word should be presented everywhere. Darkness vs. light; it’s that simple. In a world that encourages stealing, coveting, and even murdering political enemies, we must have God’s word in the public square. Obviously, His truth is loving, convicting, and condemning.

In just a few weeks, I start the new school year. May the newly posted Ten Commandments provide other Christian teachers and me with new opportunities to point students to the truth of God’s word. May His Spirit enable us with supernatural boldness.

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Exodus 20:1-17

The Commandments of Yahweh

Then God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of Yahweh your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female slave or your cattle or your sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male slave or his female slave or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.