BELL COUNTY, Texas -- A judge has ordered that Killeen ISD must allow a poster that featured a biblical quote used in a TV Christmas special to go back up.

A district judge ruled on Thursday that the door display featuring a hand-drawn version of Linus from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and his recitation of a passage describing the importance of the holiday, be re-hung with the inclusion of a line stating that this was a message passed on by the staff member who created the poster.

Killeen administrators argued school employees are not allowed to impose their personal beliefs on students and had the staff member take the door decoration down.

But Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton said in a statement that the so-called Merry Christmas law passed in 2013 means schools can't "silence a Biblical reference to Christmas" and that the gesture is "an attack on religious liberty and a violation of the First Amendment and state law."

Paxton intervened in a suit against the district earlier Thursday, requesting a restraining order to allow the poster to go back up on Friday, the last day of school this semester.

MORE | AG Paxton Intervenes in School Decoration Debacle

The Killeen school board was already in the process of re-examining its holiday decoration policies after the incident.

The district released a statement following the judge's decision Thursday. It reads:

"Christmas and winter celebrations and messages are important to our community. The board's actions taken on Tuesday directing district administration to develop guidelines for employees underscore the board's commitment to this effort. Despite these efforts we found ourselves in court this afternoon.

Bell County 146th District Court ruled in order for the door covering to be displayed at Charles Patterson Middle School. The following text must be added in "letters as large as the other letters:" "Ms. Shannon's Christmas Message."

No other relief was granted. We believe that directing the individual to include the additional text better complies with state and federal law. We support this decision."