Louisiana Ten Commandments Law to Remain Paused

The state of Louisiana passed what became a controversial law that would have mandated the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms.

The rule was challenged and paused in the lower courts.

This week, an appeals court ruled that the pause to block the posters will remain in effect.

Can’t Do It

Louisiana made history by becoming the first state in our republic to make it mandatory that the Ten Commandments be publicly displayed.

The law would have required that every classroom in the state’s K-12 school system post the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font.”

The posting would also explain the significance of the Ten Commandments and their relevance in the country’s history.

The rule was challenged by a group of parents, who called the law “unconstitutional on its face.”

The parents claimed that the rule was a violation of their First Amendment rights regarding influencing their children’s religion.

The claim of the state that the Ten Commandments were “historically significant” was rejected by a District Court judge based on the fact the posting was “not neutral in nature.”

Judge deGravelles wrote, “Since the law is not neutral, it easily fails strict scrutiny analysis; even assuming AG Defendants had established a compelling interest (e.g., for education or history), there are any number of ways that they could advance an alleged interest in educating students about the Ten Commandments that would be less burdensome on the First Amendment than the one required by H.B. 71.”

The law has been publicly supported by many Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump.

When the law was first challenged, Trump posted on Truth Social that “public schools, private schools, and many other places” could be the “first major step in the revival of religion, which is desperately needed, in our country.”

The court clearly did not see it that way.