Boerne ISD understands the need to abide by Senate Bill 10 — the “Ten Commandments” bill — but has adopted a “wait and see” approach, given the introduction last week of a lawsuit to block enforcement of the law, which takes effect Sept. 1.
U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction Aug. 20 against SB10, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott to place the Ten Commandments in every classroom in Texas public schools.
The blockage, however, applies only to the 11 school districts filing suit, including the Alamo Heights, Northside, North East and Lackland ISDs in the San Antonio area.
“We are always ready to implement any state mandate,” said Maggie Dominguez, Boerne ISD communications director. “We cannot predict what the state of Texas will choose to do, but will comply with the law.”
Boerne opened the school year with more than 600 teachers in district classrooms, Dominguez said. The district, she said, “fully follows all local, state and federal laws.”
The Ten Commandments bill instructs what wording must appear on the posters or framed copies. They must be at least 16 inches-by-20 inches and be placed where visible to all students in the class.
The district, she said, budgeted no funds for sign purchases.
“Senate Bill 10 states that the signage must be provided to the district at no cost to the district,” she said. “We will post the signage if it meets the appropriate state-mandated configurations.”
Exact wording from the bill states a public school in which a poster or framed copy does not appear “must accept any offer of a privately donated poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments” and “may, but is not required to, purchase posters or copies that meet the requirements.”
Boerne ISD has received no posters or copies at this point, she added.
Many observers expect the suit to travel statewide and be offered up in all 1,237 public school districts.
A federal appeals court in June ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in each of the state’s public school classrooms is unconstitutional.
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