AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking a federal appeals court to take a look at a ruling that blocked the display of the Ten Commandments in some Texas classrooms.
Paxton is asking the full Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the decision made last month that said the law violated the First Amendment's establishment and free exercise clauses.
What they're saying:
"The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of American law, and that fact simply cannot be erased by radical, anti-American groups trying to ignore our moral heritage," Paxton said. "There is no legal reason to stop Texas from honoring a core ethical foundation of our law, especially not a bogus claim about the ‘separation of church and state,’ which is a phrase found nowhere in the Constitution."
In a release, Paxton said he is "committed to upholding the legal, moral, and historical heritage of the United States, and has ordered that all school districts not affected by ongoing litigation display the Ten Commandments in accordance with Texas law."
The court's ruling only applied to the 11 school districts named in the lawsuit.
Federal Court blocks display of the Ten Commandments in schools
A federal judge temporarily blocked the new Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms.
Senate Bill 10 would require Ten Commandments posters to be displayed in public school classrooms across Texas if they are donated. The bill was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in June.
It was supposed to go into effect on September 1.
In July, a lawsuit was filed by 16 families, represented by several groups, and multiple faiths, including the ACLU of Texas.
They say the requirement violates the first amendment's protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise.
They argue Senate Bill 10 isn't neutral with respect to religion and say students will be under religious doctrine in a "manner that conflicts with their families’ religious and non-religious beliefs and practices."
Some school districts in the state are named as defendants, including districts in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.
What's next:
Paxton is asking for his appeal to be heard alongside a similar appeal from Lousiana. A panel of appellate judges blocked Louisiana's law requiring the Ten Commandants to be displayed in their classrooms.
Paxton claims the two laws are similar enough that they decision can be joined together and Texas can bypass the panel hearing.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the attorney general's office. Back story on Senate Bill 10 and the previous injunction comes from previous FOX 7 reporting.