US appeals court strikes down Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in schools and colleges
A US federal appeals court struck down a Louisiana law that required the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school and college classrooms. About this informs Reuters.
A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans unanimously upheld a lower court ruling in November 2024 that found the law “plainly unconstitutional.”
It was a victory for parents and students who accused the state of violating their religious rights, but a defeat for Republicans and conservative organizations seeking to make religious symbols more visible in public space. Although the court is considered one of the most conservative in the country, two of the judges who made the decision were appointed by Democratic presidents.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Merrill, who represents the Republican Party, intends to appeal the decision — first to a full court of appeals and then possibly to the conservative 6-3 U.S. Supreme Court.
The lawsuit against the law was filed by nine families, including clergymen whose children study in public schools. They argued that the rule violates the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibits the state from establishing religion.
“We are grateful for this decision, which respects the religious diversity and religious freedom rights of public schools across Louisiana.” said Darcy Roake, a Unitarian Universalist priest and one of the plaintiffs.
The law required classrooms to display posters or framed versions of the Ten Commandments at least 11 by 14 inches, with the Commandments clearly printed in large print and as the “central focus.” The document, signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, was to take effect Jan. 1 and would apply to K-12 schools as well as public colleges.
In her ruling, Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez cited a 1980 Supreme Court decision in Stone v. Graham, which struck down a similar Kentucky law because it lacked a “secular legislative purpose.”
Louisiana representatives indicated that this precedent no longer applies because it was based on case law that the Supreme Court has already abandoned. They also argued that even if Stone were to remain in effect, the situation in Louisiana is different — schools can display the Commandments alongside historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence, demonstrating a “historical and educational” purpose.
However, Ramirez — a judge appointed by President Joe Biden — drew attention to the statements of several lawmakers who gave the bill a religious basis. Among them were claims that the Ten Commandments are “God’s law”, and those who oppose the law are allegedly “attacking” Christianity.
