A coalition of civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit on Monday against Louisiana’s new law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.
Signed into law by Republican Governor Jeff Landry last week, the measure has been criticised as unconstitutional by its opponents.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include parents of Louisiana public school students, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
They argue that the law violates the separation of church and state and could alienate students who do not practise Christianity.
Under the new law, all public K-12 classrooms and state-funded universities will be required to display a poster-sized version of the Ten Commandments in a "large, easily readable font" by next year.
Historical Context and Previous Legal Precedents
Opponents of the law point to historical precedents, including a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a similar Kentucky law for violating the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The Court concluded that the Kentucky law had a religious purpose and lacked a secular justification.
In 2005, the Supreme Court issued mixed rulings on Ten Commandments displays, finding unconstitutional a pair of displays in Kentucky courthouses while upholding a monument on the Texas state Capitol grounds. These decisions were narrowly decided with 5-4 votes, and the Court has since shifted to a 6-3 conservative majority.
Louisiana's law is part of a broader conservative agenda under Governor Landry, who took office in January, succeeding Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. The Republican supermajority in the Legislature and GOP dominance in statewide offices have enabled the passage of this and other conservative measures.
Louisiana is the only state currently enforcing such a mandate, though similar efforts have been attempted in states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah. Those attempts were abandoned in the face of anticipated legal challenges.
The law stipulates that state funds will not be used for the posters, which must be in place by the start of the 2025 school year. Instead, the posters will be funded through donations.
The law also allows, but does not require, the display of other historical documents in K-12 public schools, such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Northwest Ordinance.
This legislation underscores ongoing national debates about the role of religion in public spaces and the interpretation of the First Amendment's establishment clause.
As the legal battle unfolds, it will likely draw significant public and judicial scrutiny, potentially setting new precedents for similar cases in the future.
Source:
AP
Image:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
