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Under the bill HB71, all public schools in Louisiana must display the ten commandments in a poster or framed document that is at least 11 inches by 14 inches. The bill also mandates that the poster states that the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries.”
The Louisiana state legislature states that the government was founded on Christian beliefs, which is evident because the version proposed by the bill is found in the “King James Bible” commonly used by Protestants. In response, the ACLU and other influential civil rights organizations denounced the bill, saying it “violates the separation of church and state and is blatantly unconstitutional.”
Governor Jeff Landry revealed that he and the Louisiana legislature wanted to take this law all the way to the Supreme Court, saying “[we] can’t wait to be sued.” Landry quickly got his wish. Immediately following the signing of the bill, the ACLU put forth a lawsuit known as Rev. Roake v. Brumley. On November 12, U.S. District Judge John deGravelles blocked the law, claiming it violated the First Amendment and it has an “overtly religious purpose.”
However, even with this encouraging outcome, Louisiana lawmakers plan to immediately appeal, which will send the bill to a higher court and potentially even the Supreme Court.
Whatever the Supreme Court rules will become the new precedent. If the Supreme Court upholds the law, it will create an exception to the Establishment Clause and lead more and more states to enact similar laws. This will affect every student in a public school in Louisiana, as there will be a large print of the “Protestant” Ten Commandments in every classroom from kindergarten to college. Students who do not identify with this particular version of religion or any religion will be left to feel isolated and excluded as their government tries to push a limited ideology down their throats.
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