An appeals court panel has unanimously denied the validity of Louisiana's recent law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools.
A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit released a decision on Friday, upholding a lower court ruling that opposed House Bill 71, which was passed last year.
Circuit Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Biden appointee, authored the panel opinion, stating that the law “inflicts significant practical harm on Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.” Ramirez explained, “As noted, if H.B. 71 goes into effect, students will be subjected to unwelcome displays of the Ten Commandments for the entirety of their public school education. There is no opt-out option.”
Last June, Governor Jeff Landry signed HB 71 into law, requiring public school classrooms to display a copy of the Ten Commandments measuring at least 11 inches by 14 inches by January. During the signing ceremony, Landry said, “If you want to respect the rule of law you’ve got to start from the original law given, which was Moses.”
The law also allowed public schools to display other historical documents such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Northwest Ordinance.
Following the signing of HB 71, a coalition of progressive legal organizations filed a lawsuit against Louisiana on behalf of an interfaith group of individuals with minor children enrolled in Louisiana public schools.
Americans United for Separation of Church & State, a progressive group representing the families and clergy, expressed support for the appeals court ruling. Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United, claimed, “This ruling will ensure that Louisiana families — not politicians or public-school officials — get to decide if, when and how their children engage with religion.”
