A federal judge has blocked the law that would have required a copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in Louisiana’s public colleges, universities and trade schools, in addition to its K-12 public schools.
Earlier this year, the GOP-controlled Legislature passed House Bill 71, which Republican governor Jeff Landry signed. It mandated a poster-size copy of the Decalogue—specifically the King James Bible version—in all public classrooms by Jan. 1. Nine Louisiana families, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups, sued to stop implementation of the law.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge John W. deGravelles released a 177-page order approving a preliminary injunction that blocks the law.
“Plaintiffs face an imminent infringement of their First Amendment rights,” wrote deGravelles, who was nominated to the Middle District of Louisiana court by former president Barack Obama. DeGravelles ruled that the law violated the U.S. Constitution’s establishment clause.
“HB 71 is not neutral toward religion, and this is evident from the text of the statute, its effects and the statements of lawmakers before and after the act’s passage,” he wrote.
Republican state attorney general Liz Murrill argued in a statement that the “decision only binds five of Louisiana’s many school boards.” However, the ruling says the law is unconstitutional “in all applications.” “We strongly disagree with the court’s decision and will immediately appeal, as HB 71’s implementation deadline is approaching on January 1,” Murrill said.
Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, said in a news release that “today’s ruling ensures that the schools our plaintiff’s children attend will stay focused on learning, without promoting a state-preferred version of Christianity.”
