Louisiana public schools and colleges will be required to post an image of the Ten Commandments next year after a controversial bill was signed into law Wednesday.
Under H.B. 71 public classrooms starting from kindergarten to the collegiate level must have a poster of the Commandments up at the start of 2025.
Civil rights groups have already questioned the law that passed in Louisiana’s Republican-controlled state legislature on May 28, contending it violates the separation of church and state in public buildings. The American Civil Liberties Union has threatened to sue.
Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public-school classroom under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, June 19, 2024.
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The bill was signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, along with a package of others he said were designed to “expand faith in public schools.”
“If you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original law-giver, which was Moses,” Landry said at a news conference where he signed the bill.
The bill’s authors contend that the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. No other state currently has such a mandate for display of the Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments are described in the law’s text as “foundational documents of our state and national government.”
“History records that James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, stated that “(w)e have staked the whole future of our new nation … upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments,” the text of the law read.
The displays, which will be paid for by private donations and not state dollars, will be “displayed on a poster or framed document,” the law says. The legislation’s text also calls for it to be printed in large, easily readable font.
The displays will also be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries.”
The Louisiana ACLU, however, contended that the law’s language is blatantly unconstitutional and said in a statement it plans to sue the state.
The ACLU cited the 1980, U.S. Supreme Court decision Stone v. Graham, which ruled that a similar law passed in Kentucky for its public school system violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Workers remove a monument bearing the Ten Commandments outside West Union High School, June 9, 2003, in West Union, Ohio. Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public-school classroom under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, June 19, 2024.
Al Behrman/AP, FILES
“The displays mandated by H.B. 71 will result in unconstitutional religious coercion of students, who are legally required to attend school and are thus a captive audience for school-sponsored religious messages,” the Louisiana ACLU said in a statement.
“They will also send a chilling message to students and families who do not follow the state’s preferred version of the Ten Commandments that they do not belong, and are not welcome, in our public schools,” the ACLU of Louisiana added.
Landry’s education package also includes laws that would authorize the hiring of chaplains in schools, restrict teachers from mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity, and prevent schools from using a transgender student’s preferred name or pronouns unless granted permission by parents.
A new law in Louisiana is causing quite a stir in the education community. The law, which was recently passed by the state legislature, requires all public schools in Louisiana to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. This move has sparked debate among educators, lawmakers, and religious groups about the separation of church and state and the role of religion in public education.
Supporters of the law argue that displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms is a way to promote moral values and ethics among students. They believe that by having a constant reminder of these principles, students will be more likely to make good choices and behave in a respectful manner. Proponents also argue that the display of the Ten Commandments is a way to acknowledge the Judeo-Christian heritage of the United States and to uphold traditional values.
However, opponents of the law argue that it violates the principle of separation of church and state, which is enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. They believe that public schools should be neutral when it comes to religion and should not promote any specific religious beliefs. Critics also argue that displaying the Ten Commandments could make students of other faiths or no faith feel excluded or marginalized.
The law has also raised questions about the practical implications of implementing it. Some educators are concerned about the logistics of displaying the Ten Commandments in every classroom, as well as the potential cost of doing so. Others worry about the impact that this law could have on teacher-student relationships and classroom dynamics.
Despite the controversy surrounding the new law, it is set to go into effect in the upcoming school year. Schools that fail to comply with the law could face penalties or legal action. It remains to be seen how this new requirement will be implemented and how it will impact the educational environment in Louisiana public schools.
In conclusion, the new law requiring Louisiana public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms has sparked a heated debate about the role of religion in public education. While supporters argue that it promotes moral values and upholds traditional beliefs, opponents raise concerns about the separation of church and state and inclusivity for students of all faiths. As this law goes into effect, it will be important for educators, lawmakers, and community members to continue discussing and evaluating its implications for the education system in Louisiana.
