Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that he has launched an investigation into school districts over religious based laws.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that he has launched an investigation into school districts across Texas, including Fort Worth, over religious based laws.
Senate Bill 10 requires public school districts to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in elementary and secondary classrooms. Senate Bill 11 requires school boards to vote on whether to establish a period of prayer and designated time to read the Bible or other religious texts. Both were passed during the 2025 legislative session
Fort Worth and the 28 other districts under investigation must provide proof that their school boards have voted on the prayer time and produce documents regarding the display of the Ten Commandments.
The school district did not immediately respond to request for comment.
“I will always fight for students’ fundamental right to pray in our schools and work to ensure that Texas kids are able to learn from the Ten Commandments daily,” Paxton said. “Texas schools districts must comply with Texas law by displaying the Ten Commandments and taking a school board vote regarding the implementation of prayer time in schools. I will never stop defending our students’ religious freedom and the moral foundation of our nation.”
In September, just three weeks after Senate Bill 10 was signed into law, the Fort Worth school district was named in a federal lawsuit seeking to stop the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. On April 21, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it was not unconstitutional to require the posting of the Ten Commandments.
In a board meeting Feb. 24, Fort Worth board members elected to not add a designated prayer time, stating that their policy ensures students’ rights are upheld.
The power and authority of the Board of Trustees was suspended on March 24 following the state takeover of the school district.
Aledo and Keller are the only Tarrant County school boards that approved the prayer time.
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 5:20 PM.