Last Friday, a federal appeals court in the United States upheld a Louisiana state law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, while overturning a lower court’s injunction.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the US voted 12-6 to lift the injunction imposed by a lower court in 2024, stating that it is premature to determine the constitutionality of the Louisiana law at this time.
The court noted that it is still unclear how the display of the Ten Commandments will be implemented in classrooms, whether there will be accompanying historical context, or if it will be used in lesson plans.
In June 2024, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed a bill mandating that all K-12 public school classrooms in the state display the Ten Commandments, with posters needing to be “prominently and understandably displayed” and could be accompanied by historical context such as its influence on legal tradition. The law was immediately met with lawsuits from multiple groups.
In November 2024, a federal judge issued an injunction against the law. In December of the same year, the Louisiana state government appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In early 2025, the court, consisting of a panel of three judges, ruled the state law unconstitutional, keeping the injunction in place during the appeal.
Friday’s decision came after all judges agreed to rehear the case.
Critics argue that the Louisiana law violates the separation of church and state, while supporters maintain that the Ten Commandments are foundational to American law and hold historical significance.
In last Friday’s majority opinion, the appeals court stated that the law allows for the display of the Mayflower Compact or the Declaration of Independence alongside the Ten Commandments.
The majority also believed that the lower court did not have enough factual basis when evaluating potential First Amendment issues and stated they should “support findings rather than engage in guesswork.”
Circuit Judge James Ho, appointed by former President Trump, wrote in the concurring opinion that the law is in conformity with the Constitution and is “consistent with our founding traditions.”
Ho stated, “It is entirely consistent with the Constitution and reinforces the firm belief of our Founding Fathers that America’s children should be educated about our nation’s religious foundation and traditions.”
He added that the law “affirms the noblest and most sublime traditions of our nation.”
Circuit Judge James L. Dennis, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, wrote in the dissenting opinion that displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms amounts to “exposing children to government-endorsed religion in a compulsory attendance setting.”
He believed that this is the kind of system that the framers anticipated and sought to prevent.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Louisiana and other groups representing the plaintiffs expressed disappointment in a joint statement, saying, “Today’s ruling is extremely disappointing.” They plan to launch further legal challenges to stop the law from being implemented.
Republican Governor Jeff Landry praised the court’s decision on Friday on Facebook, stating, “Common sense is making a comeback!”
State Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a statement after the ruling, stating that schools “should all comply with this law.”
She further commented, “‘Thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal’ should not be controversial, my office has issued clear guidance to public schools on how to comply with this law and we have produced multiple posters as examples on how to apply this law constitutionally.”
Attorney Joseph Davis, representing Louisiana in the case, said in a statement, “If the ACLU prevails, all religious traces in our public life will be erased. This stance contradicts our nation’s traditions and Constitution. We are pleased that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals allows Louisiana to display the Ten Commandments in its public school classrooms.”
Currently, a similar law in Arkansas is facing challenges in federal court, and Texas began implementing the requirement to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms last year.
The term “Ten Commandments” primarily refers to the Ten Commandments issued by God through Moses to the Israelites in the Old Testament of the Bible, serving as core moral guidelines in Judaism and Christianity. It covers worshiping the one true God, honoring parents, prohibitions against killing, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness, and teaches people to refrain from evil deeds and uphold basic moral standards.
(Reference: this article is based on reporting from FOX NEWS)