Louisiana is embroiled in a legal battle over a new law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school and university classrooms. As the state appeals a ruling by US District Judge John deGravelles that declared the law unconstitutional, a federal court in New Orleans heard arguments on Thursday. The state claims deGravelles' ruling only applies to the five specific school districts that are defendants in the case, leaving it unclear as to whether it will be enforced in 67 others as the appeal plays out; the law went into effect on Jan. 1.
Attorney General Liz Murrill insists on compliance, providing schools with samples of the required posters and a contextual explanation of their historical role in American education. However, no district has reported posting them yet. Opponents, including the ACLU, argue the law breaches church-state separation and could alienate non-Christian students. Proponents assert it highlights the Ten Commandments' historical significance. Judge Catharina Haynes acknowledged the urgency but did not indicate when a decision would be reached.
Louisiana's GOP-led Legislature passed the law, signed in June by Republican Governor Jeff Landry, making it the first state to require such displays. This initiative aligns with broader conservative efforts to incorporate religious elements into education, echoing similar measures in states like Texas and Florida. Past proposals in other states have faced challenges over their constitutionality. The US Supreme Court in 1980 deemed a comparable Kentucky law unconstitutional, citing its religious intent. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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