A federal judge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has temporarily blocked a new state law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in every public classroom by January 1. The judge deemed the law unconstitutional, citing its overtly religious purpose and violation of the First Amendment.
The law, which was passed by Louisiana's GOP-dominated Legislature, faced opposition from a group of parents of public school children who argued that it could isolate non-Christian students and infringe on their religious freedom.
Proponents of the law claim that the display of the Ten Commandments holds historical significance to the foundation of U.S. law. However, the judge ruled that the government cannot mandate such a display, especially when it has no secular purpose and could be seen as religious coercion of students.
Similar bills requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms have been proposed in other states, but legal challenges have prevented their implementation. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a similar Kentucky law unconstitutional, emphasizing the importance of the separation of church and state.
Under the Louisiana legislation, the Ten Commandments must be displayed on a poster or framed document in all public K-12 schools and state-funded university classrooms. Each display must be accompanied by a context statement highlighting the historical presence of the Commandments in American public education.
The law requires the text to be the central focus of the display and printed in a large, easily readable font. While tens of thousands of posters would be needed to comply with the law, schools are not obligated to use public funds for this purpose and can rely on donations or contributions from groups and organizations.
Despite support from Republican officials, including President-elect Donald Trump, the law has been met with legal challenges and is currently on hold pending further court proceedings.
