Spring ISD students will see Ten Commandments posters in every classroom when school starts Wednesday, Aug. 12, after a Harris County judge denied a last-ditch effort to block the state mandate.
Harris County District Judge Nathan Milliron ruled Friday, Aug. 7, in the 165th District Court that the posters can stay up while a broader constitutional challenge moves forward. The ruling in Roth v. State of Texas (Cause No. 2026-51730) means all Texas public schools, including Spring ISD's 41 campuses serving more than 32,000 students, must comply with Senate Bill 10 from day one of the new school year.
Spring ISD is not a defendant in the lawsuit but is subject to the same state law requiring the King James Version of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.
Three Houston-area mothers filed the suit July 30 in Harris County District Court, according to Click2Houston: Audrey Rosa Nath, Sanjam Kaur Sohal and Emily Roth. Their children attend Houston ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and Spring Branch ISD. The lawsuit names the State of Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Education Commissioner Mike Morath and the three districts as defendants.
The mothers argue SB 10 violates the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act and a parental-rights amendment Texas voters approved in November 2025. That strategy differs from a prior federal challenge on First Amendment grounds that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ultimately rejected.
"I did not see the posters in her classroom on the walls as of yesterday and we would like to keep it that way," plaintiff Nath told KHOU after Friday's hearing, referring to her daughter's school.
Texas Values, a nonprofit supporting the law, celebrated the ruling outside the Harris County Civil Courthouse. A representative identified as Covey said the organization is confident the law will survive the ongoing challenge.
As we reported Aug. 4, the lawsuit was filed days before Houston-area schools resume classes. Roth, a Spring Branch ISD parent, began her fight in October 2025 after her kindergartener's school announced it would display the posters. She filed three levels of grievances with the district; all were denied, including an appeal to the full school board.
The Attorney General's office has already sued districts that refused to comply, including Leander ISD and Round Rock ISD.
Spring ISD has not issued a public statement on its compliance plans. The district's superintendent is Dr. Kregg Cuellar. Spring Reporter has requested comment.
No date has been set for the next hearing. A preliminary injunction motion is expected later in August, according to Matt Cone, a local government commentator, writing on X.
