Louisiana schools can display Ten Commandments, appeals court rules

"A federal appeals court cleared the way on Friday for a controversial Louisiana law requiring poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, allowing the state to enforce a law that was previously found to be unconstitutional. The US fifth circuit court of appeals voted 12-6 to lift a preliminary injunction on the law after most the judges found that it was premature to decide on the law's constitutionality, as it had not gone into effect."

"The majority wrote in the opinion that there aren't enough facts available to permit judicial judgment rather than speculation, partly because it isn't yet clear how prominently schools may display the religious text, if teachers will refer to the Ten Commandments during classes, or if other texts like the Mayflower Compact or the Declaration of Independence will also be displayed."

"In 2024, Louisiana became the first state to require the display of the Ten Commandments, igniting fierce debate over religious freedoms in schools and the separation of church and state. In the lawsuit filed in 2024 by parents of Louisiana schoolchildren from multi-faith backgrounds, they argued that the law violates language in the US constitution's first amendment guaranteeing religious liberty and forbidding the government establishment of religion."

A federal appeals court lifted a preliminary injunction allowing Louisiana to enforce a law requiring poster-sized Ten Commandments displays in every public school classroom. The Fifth Circuit voted 12-6, with a majority concluding that deciding the law's constitutionality was premature because it had not gone into effect and essential factual details remained unresolved. The court pointed to uncertainties about how prominently the religious text may be displayed, whether teachers will reference the Ten Commandments in classes, and whether other historical documents might also be posted. Parents from multi-faith backgrounds sued alleging First Amendment establishment-clause violations. Supporters claim the Ten Commandments reflect historical foundations of U.S. law, while dissenting judges said the law amounts to government endorsement of religion in schools.

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