Independent Report – A federal court of appeals has blocked Louisiana’s law that would have required the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in the state’s public schools and universities. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2024 lower court decision, calling the law “plainly unconstitutional” and preventing its enforcement.
The law required each classroom, from kindergarten to college level, to display the Ten Commandments on posters or framed documents measuring at least 11 by 14 inches. These displays were to feature the Commandments as the main focus in large, readable print. Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, signed the bill into law, which was scheduled to take effect on January 1.
Nine families, including parents and clergy with children in public schools, filed a lawsuit against the law. They argued it violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause, which prohibits government endorsement of religion. The families were concerned the requirement imposed religious beliefs on students in a public education setting.
Among the plaintiffs were Unitarian Universalist minister Darcy Roake and her Jewish husband Adrian Van Young. Roake praised the court’s decision, stating it protected the rights of diverse religious communities and honored the principle of religious freedom in public schools.
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Despite Louisiana’s arguments that the law had educational and historical value, the court was not persuaded. State officials said the Ten Commandments could be displayed alongside other documents like the Declaration of Independence, which would give the display a nonreligious context. However, the court found that several state legislators had made statements linking the law directly to promoting Christian beliefs. Some lawmakers described the Commandments as “God’s law” and framed opposition to the law as an “attack on Christianity.”
In her written opinion, Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez referred to a key Supreme Court precedent from 1980: Stone v. Graham. In that case, the Court struck down a similar Kentucky law requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The ruling found the Kentucky law had no clear secular purpose and promoted a religious message, making it unconstitutional under the First Amendment. Judge Ramirez concluded that Louisiana’s law suffered from the same constitutional flaws.
Louisiana officials claimed that the Stone case was no longer relevant because it relied on a precedent the current Supreme Court has since moved away from. The state also cited the 2022 Supreme Court decision involving a high school football coach in Washington who prayed at the 50-yard line after games. That ruling sided with the coach, emphasizing free speech and religious expression. But Judge Ramirez noted that the coach’s case centered on individual rights, not government-mandated religious displays in public schools.
Importantly, Louisiana is the first state since Kentucky to pass a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms. The appeals court’s rejection of the law reflects a continued judicial resistance to efforts that mix religious expression with public education policy, especially when such efforts appear to lack a secular purpose.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, known for its conservative leanings, includes several judges appointed by Republican presidents. Yet in this ruling, the three-judge panel—including two judges appointed by Democrats—found consensus in blocking the law. This shows that even in a conservative-leaning court, the constitutional boundaries regarding religion in public institutions remain firmly enforced.
Louisiana’s Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill is expected to challenge the ruling. Her office has indicated that they may request a review by the full 5th Circuit court and, if needed, appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which currently holds a 6–3 conservative majority. Murrill has not yet made an official comment.
This case continues a broader national debate over the role of religion in public spaces, especially in taxpayer-funded schools. While supporters of the law argue it reflects America’s moral foundations, opponents maintain that such measures cross constitutional lines and risk undermining religious freedom for all.
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