Historic or Overreach? Louisiana’s Mandate to Display Ten Commandments in Schools

Louisiana has enacted a groundbreaking policy requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, signed the directive into law this Wednesday.

The initiative, encapsulated in House Bill 71 and championed by Rep. Dodie Horton, will see poster-sized renditions of these biblical statutes in schools by January. Originating from the Old Testament, these commandments serve as moral tenets delivered to Moses by God.

Governor Landry articulated his rationale at the bill's signing:

“To respect the rule of law, we must start with the original laws given to Moses.”

Each display will feature a minimum size requirement and include a contextual statement spanning four paragraphs, highlighting the historical presence of the Ten Commandments in American education.

This statement references their inclusion in early American textbooks like The New England Primer and McGuffey's Readers, emphasizing their longstanding educational impact.

However, this law is poised to ignite controversy and legal battles. Several secular and civil liberties groups, including the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, have signaled their intention to challenge the law, citing a potential breach of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The groups argue that such mandates constitute religious coercion towards students, infringing on constitutional rights and previous Supreme Court rulings, notably the 1980 Stone v. Graham decision, which struck down a similar statute.

Despite these controversies, proponents defend the law as a nod to historical context rather than religious endorsement, with allowances to display other pivotal documents like the Declaration of Independence.

Senator Adam Bass noted the widespread presence of the Ten Commandments in significant national locales, including the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the law reflects foundational legal principles.

As Louisiana steps into uncharted territory, the debate over the separation of church and state continues, spotlighting a complex intersection of education, law, and religious freedom.