Louisiana Public Schools Required to Display Ten Commandments in Classrooms, Prompting Legal Battle

In a controversial move, Louisiana public schools are now mandated to prominently display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed House Bill 71 into law on Wednesday, requiring schools that receive state funding to have a poster-size display of the commandments with a large and easily readable font.

The legislation, approved by state lawmakers last month, specifies the exact language that must be printed on the classroom displays. It also emphasizes that the text of the Ten Commandments should be the central focus of the poster or framed document. This requirement applies to schools from kindergarten through the university level.

Governor Landry expressed his support for the bill, referring to the commandments as the "original law given" and attributing their origins to Moses. He stated, "If you want to respect the rule of law, you gotta start from the original law given which was Moses.... He got his commandments from God."

However, opponents of the bill argue that it violates the establishment clause of the US Constitution, which prohibits the government from endorsing or promoting any particular religion. Civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, swiftly responded, vowing to challenge the law in court.

In a joint statement, these groups claimed that the law violates both Supreme Court precedent and the First Amendment. They argue that it would result in "unconstitutional religious coercion of students" and restrict their right to decide their own religious beliefs. They firmly believe that politicians have no authority to impose their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools.

Supporters of the law, on the other hand, rely on a 2022 US Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. The decision involved a high school football coach who was disciplined for a controversy regarding prayer on the field. The Supreme Court ruled that the coach's prayers constituted private speech protected by the First Amendment. This ruling has been seen as lowering the barrier between church and state and permitting more religious expression in public spaces.

Louisiana State Rep. Dodie Horton, the Republican author of the bill, has defended the measure, claiming that the Ten Commandments are deeply rooted in legal history. She believes that the display of the commandments in classrooms will establish a "moral code" for students.

The law, which makes Louisiana the first state in the nation to mandate Ten Commandments displays in all state-funded classrooms, has now set the stage for a legal battle. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the boundaries between religious freedom and state-sponsored religious practices.

As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen how the courts will weigh in on the matter and whether Louisiana's requirement will ultimately be deemed a violation of the rights and freedoms protected by the US Constitution.