Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has called on public schools statewide to allocate time for prayer and scripture reading. He specifically recommended the Lord’s Prayer in line with a new state law.
In a press release dated September 2, Paxton announced his position amidst a court-ordered delay in the enactment of Senate Bill 11, which was scheduled to take effect this month. The law allows school boards to create policies for voluntary prayer and religious text readings during school hours.
“In Texas classrooms, we want the Word of God opened, the Ten Commandments displayed, and prayers lifted up,” Paxton stated.
He also criticized opponents of SB 11, describing them as “twisted, radical liberals” who aim to “erase Truth, dismantle the solid foundation that America’s success and strength were built upon, and erode the moral fabric of our society,” asserting that the United States was “founded on the rock of Biblical Truth.”
Paxton, who is reportedly a member of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano near Dallas, added, “I will not stand by while the far-left attempts to push our country into the sinking sand.”
Senate Bill 11, which is currently under a temporary injunction, permits school districts to adopt policies for voluntary prayer and scripture reading, provided parental consent is obtained for student participation. The law also designates Paxton’s office to defend schools that implement such policies and allows him to recommend best practices, including his endorsement of the Lord’s Prayer “as taught by Jesus Christ.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), based in Madison, Wisconsin, quickly responded to Paxton’s advocacy, condemning it as a violation of constitutional boundaries. In a letter dated September 3, FFRF Legal Counsel Chris Line demanded that Paxton retract his statements, citing concerns that his remarks pressure schools to favor Christianity.
FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor accused Paxton of “trying to turn Texas classrooms into Sunday schools,” and emphasized that “Children deserve an education free from religious coercion. The Constitution, not the Bible, is the foundation of our democracy — and it protects the freedom of conscience of every student.”
The endorsement of prayer by Paxton follows recent legal setbacks related to displays of religious symbols in schools. A federal judge recently declared a Texas law requiring Ten Commandments displays in classrooms unconstitutional, intensifying ongoing debates about the separation of church and state.
On August 20, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio issued a temporary injunction blocking 11 Texas school districts, including Houston ISD, Austin ISD, and Plano ISD, from implementing the law.
