A federal judge inLouisianahas blocked acontroversial state lawthat wouldverequired the Ten Commandments to be displayedin every public school classroom, from elementary school through college.
Judge John W. deGravelles (who was appointed by Barack Obama) ruled that the law was unconstitutional and barred the state from enacting it (it was set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2025).
DeGravelles said the law was coercive to students, arguing there was no way they could opt out of viewing theTen Commandmentswhen they are displayed in every classroom, every day of the year, every year of their education.
A poster featuring the Ten Commandments hanging in the Georgia Capitol.AP Photo/John Bazemore
He also said there were any number of ways the state could advance an alleged interest in educating students about the Ten Commandments that would be less burdensome.
Louisianas Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill, whose office defended the law before deGravelles, said she disagreed with the decision and would appeal (viaThe New York Times).
That expected appeal will put the case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit one of the most conservative courts in the country.
Religious freedom the right to choose ones faith without pressure is essential to American democracy,said Alanah Odoms, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana, which is involved in the case.
Todays ruling ensures that the schools our plaintiffs children attend will stay focused on learning, without promoting a state-preferred version of Christianity.
The Ten Commandments law was passed and signed in June, making Louisiana the first state to enact such a law since the Supreme Court struck down Kentuckys efforts to do the same in 1980.
DeGravelles, in his ruling, cited the Supreme Courts precedent inStone v. Graham, agreeing that the Louisiana law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Louisiana GovernorJeff Landry,speaking withRolling Stonethis summerafter signing the law, rebuffed the 1980 ruling, saying, The Supreme Court got it wrong about the separation of church and state.
He argued the First Amendment protects people from government persecution of their religious practices, but doesnt prevent majority governments from ruling as they see fit.
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Its likely that the Ten Commandments issue will inevitably make its way back to the Supreme Court.
Murrill, inaudio obtained byRolling Stone, admitted as much herself while speaking with undercover reporters for liberal documentarian Lauren Windsor at a Moms for Liberty town hall in July.
Murrill even spoke about how she hopes to sway the court with mock-ups of sample Ten Commandment posters that she said would be constitutionally compliant.
Id like to incorporate some photos from the east frieze of the United States Supreme Court, so when Im standing in the United States Supreme Court, I can point out that Moses is right there, in their building, in quite a few places, she said.
The case has a long way to go, but I do think some people are going to move similar legislation.
