Louisiana's Controversial Ten Commandments Law
Louisiana has passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all classrooms at public day care centers, schools, colleges, and universities. The rule, approved by the state legislature with a Republican majority, has been signed by the conservative governor, Jeff Landry. This new law challenges the jurisprudence on the matter of the United States Supreme Court.
Legal and Historical Context
HB 71 mandates that the Ten Commandments be displayed on a poster or framed document at least 11 by 14 inches, with the Commandments as the central focus printed in a large, easily readable font. The bill also specifies that a particular version of the Ten Commandments, issued by the state legislature, must be used. The posters will include a four-paragraph context statement explaining their historical significance in American public education over nearly three centuries.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1980 that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional, citing the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. This clause prevents Congress from making laws respecting the establishment of a religion. The Founding Fathers, recognizing the diversity of religious beliefs among early American settlers, advocated for a separation between Church and State.
Legal Challenges and Implications
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation have announced plans to file a lawsuit to block the implementation of the law, which takes effect in early 2025. These groups argue that the law violates the First Amendment and could lead to unequal education and discomfort among students of different religious beliefs. They also point out that even among those who believe in the Ten Commandments, interpretations can vary widely, making government endorsement of a specific version problematic.
Louisiana Republicans argue that the Ten Commandments have historical value beyond religious significance and that their placement will be funded through donations, not public funds. They also highlight recent Supreme Court rulings that have opened cracks in the wall separating Church and State, such as allowing public funds for religious schools and protecting a public school coach's right to pray on the field.
- The law also permits but does not require the display of other historical documents in public schools, including the Declaration of Independence and the Mayflower Compact. Similar bills have been proposed in other states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah, but Louisiana is the first to successfully enact such a law.
- Governor Jeff Landry, who replaced Democrat John Bel Edwards in January, emphasized the need to respect the rule of law by referencing the original lawgiver, Moses, during the signing ceremony. The law is part of a broader ultra-conservative shift in Louisiana's legislative agenda, which includes measures to hire chaplains in schools, restrict discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity, and prevent schools from using the preferred names or pronouns of transgender students unless parents do so.
