Louisiana Becomes First State to Mandate Ten Commandments Display in Public Schools

Following the decree signed into law by Louisiana's Republican Governor, Jeff Landry, the state has become the first to make it mandatory to display the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.

Legislation Details

The newly enacted law requires a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments to be prominently featured in "large, easily readable font" across all public classrooms, ranging from kindergarten to state-funded universities.

Constitutional Controversy

Despite the absence of final approval from Governor Landry, the window for gubernatorial action, either signing or vetoing the bill, has elapsed. This has raised concerns among opponents who question the constitutionality of the law, warning of the likelihood of legal challenges.

Opponents argue that the measure is likely to lead to lawsuits, while proponents emphasize that the purpose of the law is not purely religious, but also holds historical significance. The legislation itself describes the Ten Commandments as "foundational documents of our state and national government."

Future Implementation and Funding

The law sets the deadline for the implementation of these displays in classrooms to be by the beginning of 2025. Furthermore, it stipulates that the posters will be funded through donations, ensuring that state funds will not be utilized for this mandate.

Author and Support

State House Representative, Dodie Horton, is the author of the bill and has passionately defended it by highlighting the Ten Commandments as the basis of all laws in Louisiana. She expressed her hope that Louisiana would pave the way for the reintroduction of moral codes in classrooms, reflecting on her own experience of encountering these teachings on the wall since her time in kindergarten at a private school.

National Landscape

While similar bills have been proposed in other states, including Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah, Louisiana stands as the only state to successfully enact such legislation. Other states have faced obstacles in the form of legal challenges surrounding the constitutionality of such mandates.

Legal disputes over the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms are not unprecedented, with a notable case in 1980 seeing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling a similar Kentucky law as unconstitutional.

The high court determined that the law lacked a secular purpose and instead served a plainly religious one, thus violating the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Political Context

This move in Louisiana comes amidst a new era of conservative leadership under Governor Landry, who assumed office in January, replacing the two-term Democratic predecessor.

With the GOP holding a two-thirds supermajority in the Legislature and Republicans occupying every statewide elected position, the state has seen a push for a conservative agenda during the recent legislative session.