AUSTIN, Texas – Two Central Texas school districts are being sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for refusing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
The case reveals how some district leaders are not on the same page with the law.
What they’re saying:
A news release from Paxton’s office says that Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD, and the members of their respective Board of Trustees, are being sued by Paxton for “openly refusing to comply with Texas law requiring public schools to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in each classroom.”
“These rogue ISD officials and board members blatantly disregarded the will of Texas voters who expect the legal and moral heritage of our state to be displayed in accordance with the law,” said Attorney General Paxton in the news release.Â
“Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD chose to defy a clear statutory mandate, and this lawsuit makes clear that no district may ignore Texas law without consequence,” Paxton added.
The backstory:
Senate Bill 10 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott in June. It requires Ten Commandments posters to be displayed in public school classrooms across Texas if they are donated.Â
The law requires a “durable poster or framed copy” of the Ten Commandments be posted in each classroom. The copies would need to be at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall and “in a size and typeface that is legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom.”
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.”
Supporters say the Ten Commandments should be displayed, claiming they are foundational to American judicial and educational systems, giving students the full picture of how legal and moral frameworks are developed.
Dig deeper:
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Ten Commandments law in August.
The judge issued a preliminary injunction to block that law from going into effect, which was supposed to happen September 1.
The ruling applied only to the school districts named in the initial lawsuit and some school districts have already started displaying the posters.
In January, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear arguments against the ruling blocking the display.
The full panel of judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear both the Texas case and a similar case from Louisiana.
Leander ISD responds
What they’re saying:
Leander ISD says it’s confounded by Paxton’s decision to sue the district over compliance with SB 10 without prior inquiry to the district.
The district says it has accepted donated posters and has actively implemented the law in accordance with state requirements.
Typically, the AG’s office contacts school districts before suing, and LISD could have shared its spreadsheet tracking their donated posters.
Leander ISD trustee Paul Gauthier is among those sued.
“I was happy. I’m still happy. I love being sued. Awesome. Sue me again. Let’s find out. Let’s get some discoveries to see what the district is not doing,” said Paul Gauthier, Leander ISD trustee place 7.
Gauthier says he secured enough donated posters for every school and notified Superintendent Bruce Gearing, but never heard back.
“When I found out my friend had every school, every classroom, well, great, let’s just get them out there. What are we waiting for? And then nothing. I am very disappointed in Bruce, but I also think and know that some of my other board members and I incredibly disagree with the state law and, unfortunately, I think they would look to break it,” said Gauthier.
Gauthier says he would put up the posters himself if he could but says he isn’t allowed on any school properties in the district.
There were reports that trustees tightened rules after Gauthier visited campuses without going through the superintendent’s office.
“I started going to some of the schools and telling the staff that we have a problem with our finances. The school board members did not like that, and they said, I need to check with Dr. Gearing before I go to any school,” said Gauthier.
Leander ISD reaffirmed that the district is following and implementing SB 10, and any suggestion the district has not hung up donated posters isn’t true.
Leander ISD’s full statement
“Leander ISD is confounded by the Texas Attorney General’s decision to sue the District over compliance with SB 10, which requires the District to prominently display donated posters of the Ten Commandments. The lawsuit, which named the District and Trustees as defendants in their official capacity, was filed in district court in Williamson County, on Thursday, November 13, 2025, without prior inquiry to the District.
Leander ISD has accepted donated posters and has actively implemented the law in accordance with state requirements. At no point has Leander ISD taken action to defy or disregard the law. Typically, the Attorney General’s Office contacts school districts for clarification prior to initiating action. Had the AG’s Office contacted Leander ISD, the District could have shared its spreadsheet tracking precisely the number of donated posters the District has received and where in the District the posters have been displayed in accordance with SB 10.
Despite this unnecessary distraction, today and always, Leander ISD and the Board of Trustees remain resolved in its efforts to provide high-quality experiences to each and every student while honoring both legal responsibilities and the mission to serve families with integrity.”
Dig deeper:
Round Rock ISD is also included in the lawsuit.
The district says it has been closely following the other litigation following the Ten Commandments in Texas public schools.Â
Round Rock ISD’s full statement
“As a general rule, Round Rock ISD does not comment on pending litigation. However, we wanted to provide some background.
Round Rock ISD received a copy of the Attorney General’s press release this morning and anticipates that it will soon be served with the lawsuit.
As we have shared with the students and families in our district, we have been closely following the other litigation surrounding the display of the Ten Commandments in Texas public school classrooms.
Specifically, we have been awaiting further judicial guidance from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. At this time, state law conflicts with longstanding federal law regarding the separation of church and state, where a public school district is considered “state.”
We were hopeful that we could avoid using scarce district resources for litigation when the question will be fully addressed by the Fifth Circuit in an upcoming decision set for hearing in January. However, in light of the attorney general’s premature actions, we will be consulting outside legal counsel.”
The Source: Information in this article comes from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Office and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth District. Information on an earlier ruling from a federal judge comes from previous FOX 7 reporting by Jenna King. Information on the lawsuit brought against the state comes from previous FOX 7 reporting.