Dive Brief:
- A Louisiana law signed this week to require public K-12 and postsecondary classrooms to display the Ten Commandments was quickly met by vows from civil liberty organizations to sue the state.
- The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation announced their intention to sue just hours after Gov. Jeff Landry signed the bill Wednesday.
- The organizations, in a statement, said the new state law violates U.S. Supreme Court precedent and the First Amendment. The law itself states that recognizing the Ten Commandments' historical role "reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government."
Dive Insight:
The Louisiana law, H.B. 71, requires that every classroom, by Jan. 1, 2025, display in easily readable font the Ten Commandments on a poster or framed document that is at least 11 inches by 14 inches. School systems are not expected to use their own funding for purchase of the posters but can accept cash donations or donated posters.
"Including the Ten Commandments in the education of our children is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition," the law says.
ACLU and the other organizations opposed to the displays said no other state requires schools to post the Ten Commandments. States including Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and South Carolina have recently considered or approved bills involving the Ten Commandments in schools.
“All students should feel safe and welcome in our public schools. H.B. 71 would undermine this critical goal and prevent schools from providing an equal education to all students, regardless of faith," the organizations said in a joint statement. "We will not allow Louisiana lawmakers to undermine these religious-freedom rights.”
