Louisiana has made history by becoming the first state to pass a law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. This law was signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry and mandates that a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments, in a large, easily readable font, be placed in all public classrooms from kindergarten to state-funded universities. While the bill did not receive final approval from Landry, the time for gubernatorial action has passed.
Opponents of the law question its constitutionality and warn of potential lawsuits. Proponents argue that the purpose of the measure is not solely religious but also has historical significance. The law describes the Ten Commandments as foundational documents of both state and national government.
The displays, along with a context statement, must be in place in classrooms by 2025 and will be funded through donations, not state funds. The law also permits, but does not require, the display of the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, and Northwest Ordinance in K-12 public schools.
Shortly after the bill was signed into law, civil rights groups vowed to challenge it in court, arguing that it could prevent students from receiving an equal education and make those with different beliefs feel unsafe at school.
Similar bills have been proposed in other states, but legal battles over their constitutionality have prevented their enforcement. Past legal battles over displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms have ended with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling such laws unconstitutional.
Louisiana’s law comes at a time of conservative leadership under Gov. Landry in a state where the GOP holds a legislative supermajority and controls all statewide elected positions.
