In a significant ruling, a federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction against a controversial Louisiana law that would have required the Ten Commandments to be prominently displayed in every public school classroom across the state. The decision, issued by US District Judge John W. deGravelles, marks a temporary victory for opponents who argue the law violates the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.
The legislation, passed by Louisiana’s Republican-controlled legislature and signed into law by conservative Governor Jeff Landry, had mandated that the Ten Commandments be displayed in a “large, easily readable font” and framed poster at least 11 inches by 14 inches in size in all classrooms from kindergarten through university by January 1, 2025. Each display was to be accompanied by a four-paragraph statement placing the Commandments in an “American public education” context.
Unconstitutional on Its Face
In his ruling, Judge deGravelles, an Obama appointee, found the law to be “unconstitutional on its face,” agreeing with plaintiffs that it likely violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibiting the government from establishing or favoring any religion. The judge’s order temporarily blocks the law from taking effect while the full case proceeds.
Proponents of the Ten Commandments law, including Governor Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill, have argued that the measure has historical and legal significance beyond its religious implications. However, critics contend that the required display would make students who are not Christian feel isolated and marginalized.
Religious freedom – the right to choose one’s faith without pressure – is essential to American democracy. Today’s ruling ensures that the schools our plaintiff’s children attend will stay focused on learning, without promoting a state-preferred version of Christianity.
Alanah Odoms, Executive Director, ACLU of Louisiana
A Heated Legal Battle Looms
Louisiana Attorney General Murrill has vowed to “immediately appeal” the ruling, strongly disagreeing with the court’s decision. The case will now head to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, widely regarded as perhaps the most conservative federal appellate court in the nation. With 12 of its 17 active judges appointed by Republican presidents, the odds may be stacked against the law’s opponents.
The battle over the Ten Commandments law is just the latest front in an ongoing push by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms. Other recent efforts have included:
- Florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains counsel students
- Oklahoma’s top education official ordering public schools to integrate Bible lessons
- Similar Ten Commandments display bills proposed in Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah
As the Louisiana case winds its way through the appeals process, it is likely to be closely watched as a bellwether for the future of religion’s role in America’s public schools. With the plaintiffs celebrating the injunction as a defense of religious freedom and the state gearing up for a vigorous appeal, the stage is set for a consequential legal showdown over the place of the Ten Commandments – and faith itself – in the classroom.
