A federal judge in San Antonio issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday blocking Texas from enforcing Senate Bill 10, a statute that would have required the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public-school classroom starting 1 September. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery said the measure is likely unconstitutional, citing violations of the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. The law mandated that schools post a specific 16-by-20-inch English translation of the biblical text. In a 55-page ruling, Biery wrote that compelling such displays would amount to state-endorsed religious coercion and risked pressuring students to adopt the “state’s favored religious scripture.” His order currently bars 11 named districts, the Texas Education Agency and Commissioner Mike Morath from implementing the requirement. The lawsuit was brought by families and faith leaders representing Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist and non-religious backgrounds, with legal support from the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and pro bono counsel at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called the decision “flawed” and said the state will appeal. Texas is the third state in the past year where courts have blocked classroom Ten Commandments mandates; similar statutes were halted in Louisiana and Arkansas. Supporters and opponents expect the fast-developing litigation to move toward the U.S. Supreme Court.