Louisiana just became the first state to require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public schools and colleges. This week, Gov. Jeff Landry signed House Bill 71 into law, which states that “each public school governing authority shall display the Ten Commandments in each classroom in each school under its jurisdiction.”
“The Pelican State has rightly recognized the history and tradition of the Ten Commandments in the state,” said Of Counsel Matt Krause, an independent legal and policy advisor to First Liberty. “Putting this historic document on schoolhouse walls is a great way to remind students of the foundations of American and Louisiana law. First Liberty was grateful to play a part in helping this bill reach the Governor’s desk. We applaud Louisiana for being the first, but by no means the last, state to take this bold step for religious liberty.”
The legislation requires the Ten Commandments to be framed and be posted in a translation similar to that in the King James Version of the Bible. In addition, there must be a context statement attached to the display that explains the role of the Ten Commandments in American history and our legal system. Schools may—but are not required to—also post the Declaration of Independence, the Mayflower Compact and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
State Rep. Dodie Horton—the bill’s sponsor—explains that the purpose of the legislation is about teaching history and helping students have a better “understanding of the Founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government.”
“The Ten Commandments are the basis of all laws in Louisiana,” Horton said. “And given all the junk our children are exposed to in classrooms today, it’s imperative that we put the Ten Commandments back in a prominent position.”
Many opponents have claimed the bill is unconstitutional. They argue displaying the Ten Commandments is an “establishment of religion.” But the law is consistent with Supreme Court precedent, which makes clear that it is constitutional to have historical displays with religious references and imagery on government property.
Rep. Horton pointed to First Liberty’s landmark victory in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. In Kennedy, the Court overturned decades of bad precedent that caused many historic religious symbols to be scrubbed from the public square. Moving forward, the Court set a precedent protecting religious displays on government property, making it clear that “the Establishment Clause must be interpreted by ‘reference to historical practices and understandings.’”
The Ten Commandments are a foundation of Louisiana’s and many states’ legal systems. They were they influential in the founding of our country and our laws, and widely used in public education for centuries. The signing of this bill is a huge win for religious liberty.
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