Federal Court Blocks Louisiana's Ten Commandments Law, Declares It ‘Plainly Unconstitutional’

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff   

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: Hilary Scheinuk

A federal appeals court on Friday unanimously ruled that Louisiana’s law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school and university classroom is “plainly unconstitutional,” upholding a lower court’s decision to block the mandate.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in a 3-0 decision, found that the state’s law mirrored a Kentucky statute struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1980, stating that Louisiana’s version was “materially identical.” The panel included Judges Irma Carrillo Ramirez, James L. Dennis, and Catharina Haynes, appointed by Presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, respectively.

The legal challenge was brought by nine families of various religious backgrounds with children in Louisiana’s public schools. Represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, the plaintiffs argued that the law violated the constitutional separation of church and state and promoted a state-endorsed version of Christianity.

“We believe that our children should receive their religious education at home and within our faith communities, not from government officials,” said Rev. Darcy Roake, a Unitarian Universalist minister and one of the plaintiffs.

Louisiana’s Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, criticized the ruling and pledged to seek further legal recourse. “We will immediately seek relief from the full Fifth Circuit and, if necessary, the United States Supreme Court,” she said in a statement.

The legislation, passed in 2024, was seen by critics and supporters alike as part of a broader effort by conservative Christian groups to test and potentially overturn longstanding legal precedents limiting religious expression in public institutions. Advocates hoped the case might eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court, now dominated by a conservative majority more favorable to religious liberty claims.

The court’s opinion cited evidence that the law’s intent was religious in nature. Judges pointed to statements from the bill’s lead sponsor, who declared, “It is so important that our children learn what God says is right, and what he says is wrong.” Such comments, the court ruled, undermined claims that the measure had a secular or educational purpose.

The law would have required public classrooms to display posters at least 11 inches by 14 inches featuring the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in large, legible type. The display was also to include a statement asserting the Commandments’ historical role in American education.

Although the law was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, the court’s ruling ensures it will remain blocked while appeals continue. The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office had already released downloadable poster templates for schools, including versions featuring biblical imagery and photos of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, whose district is in Louisiana.

The court’s decision is a significant reaffirmation of long-established First Amendment protections, and a rebuke to efforts to blur the lines between religion and public education. Whether the case ascends to the Supreme Court may determine if those constitutional boundaries shift in the years ahead.