Stone v. Graham
Coverage of Stone v. Graham in the Nexus archive.
- Founders’ views on church-state relations face new scrutiny as Ten Commandments case heads to SCOTUS
A coalition of multifaith groups plans to ask the Supreme Court to review Texas' law allowing Ten Commandments displays in public schools, arguing it violates the First Amendment's establishment clause. The case contrasts with a 1980 ruling (Stone v. Graham) that banned such displays, as the Fifth Circuit recently upheld Texas' law, citing the Supreme Court's 2022 Kennedy v. Bremerton decision that discarded the Lemon test. The dispute centers on originalist interpretations of the founders' views on church-state separation.
- Federal court upholds Texas law requiring Ten Commandments in public classrooms
A federal appeals court upheld a Texas law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments, ruling it does not violate the Constitution's First Amendment. The 9-8 decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a prior injunction, citing the Supreme Court's 2022 abandonment of the Lemon test, which had previously invalidated similar laws like the 1980 Stone v. Graham case.