Louisiana schools to display the 10 Commandments: Is it constitutional?
Louisiana becomes the first state to require the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools, by law. Why and when will the law go into effe c
Louisiana became the first state in the country to require that the Ten Commandments be posted in public school classrooms. The new law has been harshly criticized as unconstitutional as it weakens the division of Church and State. The legislation, drafted by the Republican Party, requires posting posters “with large print” that are “easy to read” in all public school classrooms for all grades, from kindergarten to college. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed the bill into law on Wednesday, June 19, as a part of a package of educational forms that includes more than fifteen new laws.
Why will the Ten Commandments have to be shown?
The bill’s author has said that the intent of the legislation is to display the Ten Commandments for their historical significance rather than for religious reasons. Additionally, the state will not pay to have the posters made and installed and will instead rely on donations.
“The Ten Commandments were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” reads the legislation. The legislation rattles off a list of textbooks used in US public schools dating back to the 1600s that contained information about the Ten Commandments as a justification that there is still educational value in them being integrated into the curriculum today. The bill also cites legal cases that have gone to the Supreme Court that have upheld the right of public educational institutions to display religious texts.
The ACLU files a suit against the state
Even before its passage, the bill had sparked an intense debate among state residents, many of whom question its constitutionality. Notably, opponents of the measure, including the ACLU have announced their intention to file a lawsuit to reverse the legislation, underscoring the contentious nature of the issue. Critics see the law as a way to favor Christian regions over others practiced by school teachers, staff, and students and their families.
Currently, Louisiana is the only state that has managed to make the display of the Ten Commandments in classroom legislation. However, among the states that have tried but have yet to succeed are Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah.
The legal battle over the constitutionality of the law is likely to take years to determine, and without an injunction these posters could be up in classrooms next year.