Louisiana has become the first state to mandate the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. The controversial legislation, drafted by the GOP and signed into law by Republican Governor Jeff Landry, requires that a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in "large, easily readable font" be placed in all public classrooms, ranging from kindergarten to state-funded universities. The law stipulates that these displays must be in place by the start of 2025.
The bill, which became law without Governor Landry's final approval due to the expiration of the action period for signing or vetoing, has drawn significant attention and raised constitutional questions. Opponents argue that the measure is a clear violation of the separation of church and state, while proponents claim that the Ten Commandments have historical significance and are foundational documents of the state and national government.
"The displays will include a four-paragraph context statement explaining how the Ten Commandments 'were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries'," the legislation states. The posters are to be funded through donations, not state funds, ensuring that taxpayer money is not used for the mandate.
State Senator Royce Duplessis, a Democrat, has been vocal in his opposition to the bill, labeling it a "lawsuit waiting to happen." He expressed his concerns in an interview with CBS affiliate WWL-TV, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the separation of church and state. "We learned the Ten Commandments when we went to Sunday school. If you want your kids to learn the Ten Commandments, you can take them to church," Duplessis remarked.
Despite the opposition, State House Representative Dodie Horton, who authored the bill, defended it passionately. "The Ten Commandments are the basis of all laws in Louisiana," Horton asserted. She shared her personal experience of seeing the Ten Commandments displayed in her private school as a child, which she believes instilled a sense of morality and respect for the law.
The new law also authorizes, but does not require, the display of other historical documents such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Northwest Ordinance in K-12 public schools. This provision aims to highlight the historical context and significance of these documents alongside the Ten Commandments.
Legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in public spaces are not new. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law was unconstitutional, stating that it violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution. The high court found that the Kentucky law had no secular purpose and served a plainly religious objective.
Governor Landry, who succeeded two-term Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards in January, has ushered in a new era of conservative leadership in Louisiana. With the GOP holding a two-thirds supermajority in the state legislature and controlling every statewide elected position, lawmakers have been able to advance a conservative agenda, including this latest measure.
The implementation of this law places Louisiana at the forefront of a broader movement among conservative states to integrate religious principles into public education. Similar bills have been proposed in states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah, but none have been successful due to legal challenges and concerns over their constitutionality.
As Louisiana prepares for the law's enactment, the debate over its implications continues to rage. Proponents argue that the Ten Commandments provide a moral foundation that can guide students, while opponents fear that the law undermines the principle of separation of church and state, potentially opening the state to costly legal battles.
