
Louisiana has become the first state to require the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, following the passage of a new bill signed into law. This historic legislation, enacted on Wednesday, mandates that a poster-sized copy of the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms, including state-funded universities, by January 1, 2025.
The bill specifies that no state funds will be used to place the Ten Commandments in schools. Instead, schools can accept donations to purchase the displays or receive the displays directly as donations. Christian activist Dean Young, who has advocated for the return of the Ten Commandments to classrooms for 30 years, announced plans to organize funding for the initiative. “There will be a Ten Commandments for every single classroom in Louisiana, at LSU, at every college — and it will be funded,” Young told Breitbart News.
The legislation cites recent Supreme Court decisions that recognize the historical significance of the Ten Commandments as foundational to America’s legal system and cultural heritage. The bill also allows for the optional display of other historical documents, such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Northwest Ordinance, accompanied by a context statement.
While Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry did not sign or veto the bill, allowing it to become law, he has expressed support for the measure. Landry, speaking at a fundraiser, welcomed potential legal challenges, stating, “I can’t wait to be sued.”
Critics argue that the law violates the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. The Center for Inquiry’s director of government affairs, Azhar Majeed, condemned the legislation, stating, “It is meant to impose Christianity on all students in Louisiana’s public schools, even if they belong to a minority religion or no religion at all.”
The law comes on the heels of a Supreme Court decision favoring a former high school football coach who was fired for praying on the field. This ruling, which struck down the “Lemon test” for measuring government coercion of religion, has bolstered efforts to reintroduce religious elements into public institutions.
State Rep. Dodie Horton, who sponsored the legislation, emphasized that the bill is intended to provide moral guidelines rather than preach a specific religion. “It doesn’t preach a certain religion, but it does teach a standard,” Horton said, adding that the Ten Commandments offer a moral code that is crucial for societal stability.
Nicole Hunt of Focus on the Family argued in a Newsweek op-ed that the removal of the Lemon test allows for a new interpretation of the Establishment Clause, potentially supporting the display of historically significant documents like the Ten Commandments in public schools.
With strong state leadership cited as a key factor in the bill’s success, supporters believe this legislation marks a return to foundational values. Young stated, “They realize we have to get back to what this nation was founded on, and this nation was founded on a belief in God.”