Paxton opens investigation into 29 Texas school districts over Ten Commandments and prayer laws

Thursday, May 7, 2026Rights & JusticeWell-covered4 frames

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a statewide investigation into 29 independent school districts over compliance with state religion-in-schools laws.
The districts under investigation include El Paso ISD and other large districts such as Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
Under Senate Bill 10, Texas public schools must display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms if the copies meet requirements set by the law.
Under Senate Bill 11, school boards are required to vote on whether to establish a designated time for prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts.
Paxton's office is demanding documents from the targeted districts about Ten Commandments displays and proof that their boards voted on the prayer-time question.
The investigation follows an April 21 federal appeals court decision that upheld the Texas law requiring public school districts to display the Ten Commandments, at least for now.
The probe could affect school districts across Texas because it is part of the state's effort to enforce the new laws and determine whether districts have taken the required steps.
Some districts have said they are complying with the laws or have already taken action, but responses vary and the outcome of Paxton's document review is not yet known.

How left and right are reading this

Both agree: New Texas religion-in-schools laws now require concrete action from public districts, and the state's document demands are meant to determine whether schools have actually taken those required steps after the appeals court let the display mandate stand for now.
They split on: Whether the story is about the burden and pressure a statewide religion-related probe places on public schools and local boards, or about the state legitimately enforcing enacted laws by checking if districts complied with classroom-display and board-vote requirements.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a statewide investigation into 29 independent school districts over compliance with state religion-in-schools laws.
The districts under investigation include El Paso ISD and other large districts such as Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston.
Under Senate Bill 10, Texas public schools must display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms if the copies meet requirements set by the law.
Under Senate Bill 11, school boards are required to vote on whether to establish a designated time for prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts.
Paxton's office is demanding documents from the targeted districts about Ten Commandments displays and proof that their boards voted on the prayer-time question.
The investigation follows an April 21 federal appeals court decision that upheld the Texas law requiring public school districts to display the Ten Commandments, at least for now.
The probe could affect school districts across Texas because it is part of the state's effort to enforce the new laws and determine whether districts have taken the required steps.
Some districts have said they are complying with the laws or have already taken action, but responses vary and the outcome of Paxton's document review is not yet known.