A lawsuit was filed Monday by civil liberties groups in an effort to stop Louisiana’s new law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. They argue that this measure is unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are parents of children in Louisiana public schools with diverse religious beliefs. They are represented by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and the New York City law firm Simpson, Thatcher & Bartlett.
“This display sends a message to my children and other students that people of some religious dominations are superior to others,” said Rev. Jeff Simms, a Presbyterian pastor and a father of three children in Louisiana public schools, who is a plaintiff in the suit. “This is religious favoritism.”
According to the law signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, all public K-12 classrooms and state-funded universities in Louisiana will have to display a poster-sized version of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” next year.
Opponents argue that this law violates the principle of separation of church and state and may alienate students, especially those who are not Christian. Supporters claim that the measure is not purely religious, but rather has historical significance, as stated in the law where the Ten Commandments are described as “foundational documents of our state and national government.”
Plaintiff Joshua Herlands, a father of two Jewish children in New Orleans public schools, expressed concern that the mandated version of the Ten Commandments does not align with his faith. He fears that the display may imply that his children are inferior in the eyes of the government.
The lawsuit seeks a court ruling declaring the new law (referred to as HB 71) a violation of the First Amendment clauses prohibiting government establishment of religion and ensuring religious liberty. It also requests an order to prevent the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.
Defendants in the lawsuit include state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, members of the state education board, and some local school boards.
Support for the new law comes from Gov. Landry and Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill, who have vowed to defend it. Murrill stated that she was looking forward to defending the law as soon as she received the lawsuit.
The Ten Commandments have been the subject of legal battles across the nation for decades.
In a recent Supreme Court ruling in 2005, displays of the Ten Commandments in Kentucky courthouses were deemed unconstitutional. However, the court upheld a Ten Commandments marker on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol in Austin. Given the current conservative majority in the Supreme Court, some believe this case may reach the highest court in the land.
Despite efforts in other states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah to implement similar requirements, Louisiana remains the only state with a mandate for displaying the Ten Commandments in schools.
The posters in Louisiana will be accompanied by a “context statement” explaining the historical significance of the Ten Commandments in public education for nearly three centuries. They must be displayed in classrooms by the beginning of 2025.
The controversial law emerges during a time of increased conservative leadership in Louisiana under Gov. Landry, signaling a shift in the state’s political landscape toward a more conservative agenda.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, appointed by former President Barack Obama.
Reporting by McGill from New Orleans.
This story has been corrected to show that the plaintiffs are represented by lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
