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4h ago

5th Circuit Upholds Block on Ten Commandments Displays in Louisiana Classrooms

The unanimous decision affirmed that the mandate breaches the First Amendment, paving the way for an expected appeal to the Supreme Court.

A copy of the Ten Commandments in a hallway of the Georgia Capitol on June 20, 2024.
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Overview

  • The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 20 unanimously affirmed that Louisiana’s law mandating Ten Commandments postings in every public school classroom violates the Establishment Clause.
  • The mandate, signed last June by Gov. Jeff Landry, was promoted by President Donald Trump and went into effect at public K-12 schools and state-funded universities this year.
  • Under the law, posters must measure at least 11 by 14 inches and include a context statement outlining the historical role of the Ten Commandments.
  • A coalition of parents representing Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious families sued, arguing the requirement coerces students into a religious exercise.
  • Louisiana officials are expected to seek Supreme Court review, setting up a test of the conservative majority’s stance on religious displays in government-run schools.