Louisiana Mandates Ten Commandments Display in Every Public School Classroom, Sparks Constitutional Debate

Washington, June 20: Louisiana has become the inaugural US state mandating that every public school classroom, from elementary to university levels, prominently display a poster of the Ten Commandments. Governor Jeff Landry signed this Republican-backed legislation into law, affirming the commandments as foundational to both state and national governance, according to a report by the BBC. The law’s imposition is expected to face legal challenges from civil rights groups, contending that it violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which bars the government from establishing a state religion or interfering with religious exercise.

The statute specifies that the commandments must be presented in a large, easily readable font on an 11-inch by 14-inch poster, emphasizing them as the primary focus of the display. Additionally, each poster must include a contextual statement detailing their historical presence in American public education over nearly three centuries. Although classrooms receiving state funding are required to comply by 2025, no state funding has been allocated for the acquisition of these posters, as outlined in the BBC report.

Similar legislative measures have been introduced in Republican-led states like Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah in recent times.