Louisiana New Ten Commandments Law

Angie Kidder

Over the summer, Louisiana became the only state to require all public schools to display the Ten Commandments, a religious document, in every classroom. According to the new law, every public classroom, whether in an elementary school or university, must display a poster-size Protestant Christian version of the Ten Commandments.

However, many people all across Louisiana and the country find the new law to be a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution. As stated in the First Amendment, Congress “shall not make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” preventing the government from establishing or favoring one religion over another and exercising the notion that every citizen has the right to freely practice whichever religion they desire, if any. Many citizens all across Louisiana believe that the state government has no right to impose their preferred religious doctrines on public schools, as it violates the separation of church and state. 

As of 2024, five out of the six congressional representatives from Louisiana are Republicans, both U.S. Senators from Louisiana are Republicans, and the governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, is also a Republican. Many commentators suggest that this new Louisiana policy reflects the rise of Christian Nationalism within the Republican party. Christian nationalism can be best defined as an emphasis on Christianity in both political and social life across the country. Soon after the policy was signed into law, a lawsuit was expected to come. In June, parents of children enrolled in Louisiana public schools and various organizations, such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, argued that displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms will isolate students who aren’t a part of a religion that uses the Ten Commandments. 

 According to a statement about the lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, “Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every Louisiana public-school classroom – rendering them unavoidable – unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration and adoption of the state’s favored religious scripture.” On the other hand, supporters of the new law, including Governor Landry, argue that it is not solely a religious text, but also a historically significant piece of writing upon which this country was built. 

Due to the ongoing conflict in this lawsuit, it was likely to be taken all the way up to the Supreme Court. Governor Landry has expressed his eagerness for the case to be taken to the highest power, stating, “I can’t wait to be sued.” In previous cases of violations of the First Amendment, the Supreme Court has upheld the Constitutional law, with Conservatives regularly on the dissenting side of violating the First Amendment. Given the Supreme Court’s conservative majority (6-3), freedom of religion advocates worry that the Court may uphold the law, paving the way for similar legislation in other states.

As of Nov. 12, a federal judge from Louisiana has blocked the law until further notice, but that won’t stop the possibility of the case still being taken to the Supreme Court, as many supporters of the law have expressed their interest to appeal it. But nevertheless, if the law is put in action it could set a very different precedent that would initiate a series of similar laws in other states.