McAllen schools to remove Ten Commandments but anticipate higher court ruling
McAllen ISD was recently ordered by a federal judge to stop displaying the Ten Commandments after being named in a lawsuit to challenge a state mandate.
On Sunday, McAllen ISD Superintendent Rene Gutierrez sent a letter to district staff requiring the immediate removal of all postings of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
In his letter, Gutierrez said the judge’s order came Saturday and that the district is required by law to follow it, but also hinted that things might change as the matter continues to be fought in court.
“Effective immediately, please remove all posting of the Ten Commandments from any classroom wall,” the superintendent wrote. “Once removed, please turn in your Ten Commandments posters to your principal who will store them in case there are further (o)rders from a higher court to place them back on your walls.”
The district allowed for the commandments to be posted due to Senate Bill 10, which required public schools to display the religious doctrine — a list of directives God gave to Moses in the Hebrew Bible.
The lawsuit that challenged SB10 was filed by parents in 14 school districts across Texas on Sept. 22, and claims it violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
The school district was included in this suit due to Maribel Villarreal’s, a parent of two McAllen ISD students, involvement.
Villarreal describes herself in the suit as an atheist and a humanist while her husband is Christian, and states she’s raising her children in a non-religious tradition because they both strongly believe in the right to have space and autonomy for someone to develop their own views and beliefs.
The lawsuit claims the SB10 mandate interferes with her children’s development when it comes to religious questions and matters and threatens to undermine the beliefs, values and practices pertaining to religious issues which she seeks to instill in her children as part of their household.
Out of the 14 school districts, McAllen ISD and Arlington ISD did not wish to actively participate in the proceeding and have agreed to be bound by any rulings entered by the court in the case regarding the constitutionality of SB10, including any injunction that the court may enter.
The motion for preliminary injunction was granted on Oct. 30 and ordered that school districts shall remove any displays of the Ten Commandments in any classrooms within their districts.
In a statement by the district, it states that McAllen ISD will continue to follow the guidance and directives of the courts throughout the process.
“Once a final decision is made, the district will take whatever steps are legally required to be in compliance with the law,” the statement read. “McAllen ISD remains committed to supporting the rights of all students, staff and community members to hold and practice their personal beliefs. The district does not promote or seek to impose any particular belief system over another.”
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