The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Louisiana’s controversial law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom violates the constitutional separation of church and state. The 2-1 decision, issued yesterday, deals a significant blow to Governor Jeff Landry’s legislative agenda and ignites fresh debate about religious expression in public education.
“This ruling reaffirms the foundational principle that government cannot promote one religion over others,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, who has been vocal in opposition to the law since its passage. “Students of all faiths—and no faith—deserve educational environments free from state-endorsed religious doctrine.”
The legislation, signed by Landry last spring, mandated that all public K-12 classrooms display a poster of the Ten Commandments measuring at least 11 by 14 inches with text large enough to be read from a reasonable distance. Supporters had argued the displays were educational rather than religious, emphasizing historical context over spiritual significance.
Judge James Ho, in his dissenting opinion, argued that the law could have survived constitutional scrutiny if properly framed as historical rather than religious. “The Ten Commandments have undeniably influenced American legal development, regardless of one’s personal faith tradition,” Ho wrote.
The ruling comes after multiple Louisiana parents, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed suit immediately following the law’s implementation last September. Sarah Morales, a parent of two students in Baton Rouge public schools, told me during an interview last month that the displays made her children feel like “outsiders in their own classrooms.”
“My family practices Buddhism,” Morales explained. “My children shouldn’t have to navigate state-endorsed Christian teachings while trying to learn algebra.”
Data from the Public Religion Research Institute shows Louisiana’s religious landscape is more diverse than commonly portrayed, with approximately 22% of residents identifying as religiously unaffiliated, 4% as non-Christian faiths, and 74% as Christian of varying denominations. This diversity reflects the constitutional challenges inherent in government-sanctioned religious displays.
Governor Landry responded to the ruling with characteristic defiance during a press conference this morning. “We will appeal this decision to the Supreme Court if necessary,” Landry stated. “The Ten Commandments represent fundamental moral principles that have shaped our nation’s legal framework, not religious indoctrination.”
The Fifth Circuit’s ruling aligns with decades of Supreme Court precedent, including Stone v. Graham (1980), which specifically struck down a Kentucky law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms. However, Supreme Court decisions in related cases have sometimes produced conflicting guidance on religious displays in government settings.
Professor Katherine Sullivan of Georgetown Law Center noted in our conversation that the current Supreme Court composition makes the outcome of any appeal uncertain. “The Court has shown increased receptivity to religious expression claims in recent terms,” Sullivan said. “But school settings have traditionally received special constitutional consideration due to the impressionable nature of young students.”
Louisiana Education Superintendent Cade Brumley, who had issued implementation guidelines after the law’s passage, declined to comment on the ruling beyond acknowledging that schools would comply with the court’s decision pending further appeals.
During my visits to several Louisiana schools this spring, I observed the practical impact of the law firsthand. At Westside Elementary in Shreveport, third-grade teacher Michelle Landis had positioned the mandated Ten Commandments poster next to historical documents including the Declaration of Independence and Louisiana state constitution.
“I’ve tried to frame it as part of our historical documents collection,” Landis told me. “But students naturally ask questions about religious content that puts me in an uncomfortable position as a public school teacher.”
The financial implications of the law have also drawn criticism. The state allocated $55,000 for initial poster production, but implementation costs, including installation and potential legal expenses, were left to individual school districts. The Lafayette Parish School Board reported spending approximately $18,500 on compliance measures before the injunction was issued.
Religious freedom advocates have celebrated the ruling while emphasizing respect for diverse faith perspectives. “People of faith should be the first to protect religious freedom for all,” said Rabbi David Saperstein, former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom. “True religious liberty cannot exist when government promotes particular religious doctrines.”
Constitutional scholars note that this case represents just one front in an ongoing national debate about religious expression in public institutions. Similar legislative efforts have emerged in several states, including Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah, despite consistent legal challenges.
As Louisiana officials prepare their appeal strategy, the Fifth Circuit’s ruling temporarily halts enforcement of the law. Schools that had already installed the displays are not immediately required to remove them until the appeals process concludes or injunctive relief is granted.
For now, Louisiana parents, educators, and students find themselves at the center of a constitutional controversy that will likely continue through multiple appeals. The outcome could significantly impact how religious content is treated in public education settings nationwide for generations to come.
