Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed legislation to require public classrooms to display the Ten Commandments — a move that is expected to trigger court challenges over the separation of church and state.

“The focus of this bill is to look at what is historically important to our nation educationally and judicially,” state Rep. Candy Noble, a Republican who co-sponsored the legislation.

Under the new law, schools must display a 16-inch by 20-inch copy of a specific English version of the Ten Commandments. Backers say the text reflects the country’s moral and legal foundations and belongs on classroom walls.

Opponents argue that the mandate forces a particular religious view into public schools and disregards students of other faiths. 

A letter signed by dozens of Christian and Jewish leaders and sent to legislators before the vote warned: “Texas has thousands of students of other faiths who might have no connection to the Ten Commandments.”

Texas has nearly 6 million students enrolled across more than 9,000 public schools.

Mr. Abbott, a Republican, also signed on Saturday a separate bill allowing school districts to set aside time each day for prayer or religious reading, so long as participation is voluntary.

The Texas law follows a similar law in Louisiana, which was just struck down by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That court also oversees Texas and upheld a lower court ruling that the Louisiana law was unconstitutional.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrell said she would appeal and “pledged to take it to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.”

Critics say Texas’ version is also vulnerable, especially because it requires a specific translation of the commandments — a religious text that varies in language and interpretation across Catholic, Protestant and Jewish traditions.

Mr.. Abbott has been down this road before. In 2005, as state attorney general, he successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of a Ten Commandments monument on Texas Capitol grounds.

Arkansas has recently passed similar legislation, which is currently tied up in federal court.

• Emma Ayers can be reached at eayers@washingtontimes.com.