Louisiana families who have children attending public schools have filed a lawsuit in federal court. They aim to prevent the enforcement of a new state law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom.
A coalition of civil rights groups is representing the plaintiffs in this case, who are parents from diverse faith backgrounds, including rabbis and pastors. They argue that the law violates the long-standing precedent set by the Supreme Court and the First Amendment’s protections against the government injecting religion into schools.
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On Monday, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in Baton Rouge claiming that permanently displaying the Ten Commandments in every Louisiana public-school classroom is unconstitutional as it puts undue pressure on students to observe, venerate, and adopt the state’s favored religious scripture. The lawsuit argues that such a display would be unavoidable and therefore infringes upon the religious liberties of students.
Last week, Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry signed a piece of legislation mandating the Ten Commandments in schools. He made the announcement from a Catholic school auditorium, where he expressed his excitement about potentially being sued due to this decision. With this move, Louisiana became the first state to require the display of the Ten Commandments in schools.
It seems that Landry’s law is intended to provoke a legal conflict that will eventually reach the Supreme Court. For years, conservative Christian organizations have been pursuing an opportunity to overturn Supreme Court decisions that safeguard the division between religion and government.
The plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit are targeting state school officials, claiming that the law not only violates First Amendment protections but also sends a harmful and religiously divisive message. According to them, the law suggests that students who do not adhere to the specific version of the Ten Commandments mandated by the law do not belong in their own school community and should not express any faith practices or beliefs that do not align with the state’s religious preferences.
The individuals bringing forward the lawsuit consist of a Unitarian Universalist minister, her spouse, and their two kids; a Presbyterian minister and his three children; a Jewish father and his two young children; as well as additional Unitarian and nonreligious families.
Heather L Weaver, senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, expressed her concern over the recently passed law, stating that it is a troubling display of power by state officials. In her opinion, the purpose of Louisiana’s mandatory schooling requirement is to provide children with education, not to impose religious beliefs upon them.
Louisiana has a law that mandates schools to showcase the exact text of the bill. This text should be displayed in a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. Additionally, the text must be presented in a large, easily readable font to ensure optimal legibility.
To complete the task, a 200-word “context statement” must be provided, which argues that the Ten Commandments were a significant aspect of American public education for nearly three centuries, until 50 years ago.
The ACLU, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation represent the plaintiffs in this case. Pro bono counsel is being provided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
As a Presbyterian minister with three children enrolled in St. Tammany Parish public schools, Reverend Jeff Sims emphasizes the importance of his children receiving and comprehending scripture in the context of their faith. He believes that honoring God’s diversity and teaching equality to all individuals are significant values that should be instilled in his children through the study of scripture.
During a press conference on Monday, he expressed that the Ten Commandments law of the state not only interferes with the principle of religious freedom but also completely disregards it.
According to him, the legislation created by Louisiana officials aims to seize the authority of God and infringe upon our religious freedom rights.
According to Josh Herlands, a parent with kids in New Orleans public elementary schools, the Louisiana state-approved version of the Ten Commandments differs from the ones he and many other Jews are familiar with.
God’s name is spelled out on the display, as an example.
He expressed concern over a Louisiana law that could potentially distort the Jewish significance of the Ten Commandments and send a negative message to his children, implying that they are inferior for not adhering to the written laws.
According to Rachel Laser, who represented Americans United for the Separation of Church and State in a significant First Amendment case before the Supreme Court in 2022, Louisiana’s law serves as a clear illustration of the growing Christian nationalism trend in the United States. This trend encompasses a range of practices, from compulsory religious displays in schools and book censorship to the appointment of chaplains in classrooms.
She stated that the political ideology posed a significant threat to the democracy of the country.
