A coalition of Louisiana parents and civil rights organizations has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the new state law (House Bill 71) that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms, saying it violates the First Amendment by imposing religious beliefs on students. The bill was signed into law on June 19, after being passed by the state house on May 28 with 79 yeas, 16 nays and 10 absent.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, includes nine families from diverse backgrounds, including Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist and non-religious beliefs. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) are among the organizations supporting the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs contend in the lawsuit that the mandatory display of a religious text in classrooms amounts to coercing students into religious observance in the form of a government endorsement of a particular religious viewpoint. It is also alleged in the lawsuit that the law violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” The plaintiffs also argue the fact that no federal court has ever upheld the display of the Ten Commandments by a public school in the past.
Governor Jeff Landry, Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill and other proponents argue that the Ten Commandments are foundational documents of American legal and cultural history. The bill, also notably authorizes schools to display the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance. However, unlike the Ten Commandments, the display of these is not obligatory for schools.
This lawsuit marks the beginning of what could be a significant legal battle over the separation of church and state, with the outcome having the potential to have far-reaching implications. The US Supreme Court has recently shown greater openness to religious expression in public spaces, such as in 2022’s Kennedy v. Bremerton School District and Carson v. Makin.
