Dr. Stinson, Members of the School Board, and Principals across Birdville ISD:

As parents and community members, we are writing to express our unease with the posting of the Christian Ten Commandments in BISD classrooms. Many of us have children attending district schools, and several of us hold leadership or volunteer roles within our campuses. While the views expressed here are our own and not representative of BISD or BISD/Texas/Campus PTA, they reflect our deep investment in the welfare and inclusivity of our schools.

While we fully respect and support every individual’s right to their faith, publicly displaying one religion’s doctrine in a taxpayer-funded institution conveys an unconstitutional preference and risks alienating students and staff who do not share those beliefs.

We understand that Texas Senate Bill 10 mandates the display of a specific version of the Ten Commandments upon donation. However, this law has already been challenged in federal court as “blatantly unconstitutional” and in violation of the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses (see recent and ongoing litigation led by the ACLU of Texas).

As a public institution, Birdville ISD is bound by the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause—consistently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in landmark rulings such as Engel v. Vitale (1962), Abington School District v. Schempp (1963), and Stone v. Graham (1980). The latter specifically found that posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms violated the Constitution.

The district’s acceptance and display of religious texts within classrooms creates a precedent that undermines these protections and exposes BISD to potential legal challenges. We are in communication with civil liberties organizations, including the ACLU of Texas, and will be seeking legal counsel to file for injunctions should these displays continue. Our goal is not conflict, but the preservation of constitutional neutrality within public education.

Public schools must remain neutral spaces to ensure that all students feel welcome, safe, and respected. Upholding these standards demonstrates the district’s commitment to inclusion, education, and constitutional integrity.

We recognize the challenges these issues create and appreciate your attention and leadership in navigating them with fairness and respect for all.

Respectfully,

Concerned Parents and Community Members of Birdville ISD