Louisiana has become the first and only state in the country to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school and publicly-funded college classroom.
Several civil liberties groups have indicated that they are prepared to challenge the new law in court.
Under the recently approved legislation, schools will have until January 1 of next year to display “a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches” in every classroom with the Ten Commandments as its “central focus” and “printed in a large, easily readable font.”
“If you want to respect the rule of law you’ve got to start from the original law given, which was Moses,” Gov. Jeff Landry (R) said during the signing ceremony.
The text of the bill includes the Ten Commandments among “historical documents” such as the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence.
It also requires that a context statement be displayed alongside the Ten Commandments describing its history with respect to schools, stating that it played a “prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries.”
The law goes on to state that schools are not required to spend their own funds to purchase the displays mandated under this law and may instead either use donated funds or accept donated displays.
About a page of this legislation is also dedicated to defending the state’s ability to require the Ten Commandments be displayed, including citations of the Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in the case of Van Orden v. Perry and the Court’s 2019 ruling in American Legion v. American Humanists Association.
The 5-4 ruling in Van Orden v. Perry found that the Constitution’s establishment clause did not prohibit a Ten Commandments monument from being located on the grounds of the state capitol building as it was determined to be in the tradition of recognizing their historical meaning.
According to the Court, “simply having religious content or promoting a message consistent with a religious doctrine does not run afoul of the Establishment Clause.”
The Justices further stated in the 2019 ruling in the case of American Legion v. American Humanists Association that the Ten Commandments “have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system.”
“Recognizing the historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation’s history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government,” the Louisiana legislation states. “Including the Ten Commandments in the education of our children is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition.”
Click Here to Read the Full Text of the Bill
According to the National Review, Gov. Landry has apparently indicated that he expects legal fallout from the legislation, reportedly saying that he “can’t wait to be sued” at a recent fundraiser.
Almost immediately after the bill was signed into law, the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), its Louisiana chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation made it known that they would be taking legal action against the state in response to the new requirement.
“The law violates longstanding Supreme Court precedent and the First Amendment,” the ACLU wrote in a press release Wednesday. “More than 40 years ago, in Stone v. Graham, the Supreme Court overturned a similar state statute, holding that the First Amendment bars public schools from posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms.”
“The displays mandated by H.B. 71 will result in unconstitutional religious coercion of students, who are legally required to attend school and are thus a captive audience for school-sponsored religious messages,” the ACLU said. “They will also send a chilling message to students and families who do not follow the state’s preferred version of the Ten Commandments that they do not belong, and are not welcome, in our public schools.”
“The law violates the separation of church and state and is blatantly unconstitutional,” the groups said in a joint statement earlier this week. “The First Amendment promises that we all get to decide for ourselves what religious beliefs, if any, to hold and practice, without pressure from the government.”
“Politicians have no business imposing their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools,” they said.
“All students should feel safe and welcome in our public schools. [This law] would undermine this critical goal and prevent schools from providing an equal education to all students, regardless of faith,” they concluded. “We will not allow Louisiana lawmakers to undermine these religious-freedom rights.”
Click Here to Read the ACLU’s Full Statement
The recently signed Louisiana law is the first of its kind since the Supreme Court ruled in the 1980 case of Stone v. Graham that a Kentucky law mandating the Ten Commandments be posted in every public school classroom violated the Establishment Clause.
A similar law was considered in Texas this past spring, but ultimately failed to receive a vote before a critical May deadline. Prior to that, however, the bill had advanced through the state Senate and received initial support from a House committee.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="28805 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=28805">6 Comments
It is an improvement over the porn, being promoted front and center in your school’s library.
Social responsibility should be, an encouraged virtue taught in school
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!” Only 49 states to go.
The ACLU states this “will result in unconstitutional religious coercion of students, who are legally required to attend school and are thus a captive audience for school-sponsored religious messages”. This is already happening in schools now. Here in Maine, they are deliberately pushing an ideology, which is a religion, on our children. The legislature just passed a law encouraging school staff and subcontractors to push their ideology on children and keeping it secret from the child’s parents. Maybe the ACLU should focus on the violation of parental rights and the coercion and manipulation taking place in our schools! At least the 10 Commandments will be openly displayed. Transparency and honesty are virtues to be embraced, just like the foundation of the rule of law which embodies a moral compass housed within the 10 Commandments. It’s time the lawyers at the ACLU and the others like them, return to the rule of law. They can start with memorizing the 10 Commandments.
Excellent! Some common sense going on down there in Louisiana. of course the lefty haters are freaking out.
Teach kids the fundamentals, as well as, finance and civics — leave out the indoctrination — both woke and religious.
I’ll teach my kids about religion — not some school board.