Federal Court Issues Ruling On Louisiana's Ten Commandment Law

Three federal judges have ruled against Louisiana’s Ten Commandments classroom law, calling it unconstitutional. The state’s Attorney General is preparing to take the fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Key Facts:

Three judges from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s ruling that Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law is unconstitutional.
The law required the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom starting in January.
A group of parents filed a lawsuit in June 2023, leading to a preliminary injunction last November.
The law includes a “context statement” and allows for additional founding documents to be displayed.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill plans to appeal to the full Fifth Circuit and possibly the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Rest of The Story:

The appeals court decision upheld a district court’s preliminary injunction against House Bill 71, which mandated the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms.

The judges found the statute “plainly unconstitutional” and stated it would cause an “irreparable” violation of the First Amendment rights of families opposed to the law.

The law, passed by Louisiana’s Republican-controlled legislature in 2023, required the Ten Commandments to be posted in a large, readable font alongside an educational context.

The statute also allowed the inclusion of historical documents like the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence.

Plaintiffs, represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, celebrated the ruling.

“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,” said Rachel Laser, the group’s president.

BREAKING: 5th Cir. panel rules Louisiana Ten Commandments in classrooms law is unconstitutional. https://t.co/2cqmNJue5e pic.twitter.com/g3Ys89fAJC

— Andrea Picciotti-Bayer (@BayerPicciotti) June 20, 2025

Commentary:

This decision is yet another example of federal courts overreaching to erase America’s religious heritage from public view.

The Ten Commandments aren’t just religious symbols—they’re foundational to the moral and legal traditions of Western civilization.

They influenced centuries of law, ethics, and government.

Teaching children about that legacy should not be controversial.

The ruling fails to recognize the clear historical context embedded in the law.

The statute didn’t demand forced prayer or mandatory belief.

It simply called for a display, framed within the broader scope of America’s founding documents.

If the Declaration of Independence can be posted on a classroom wall, why not the Ten Commandments?

Parents who don’t want their children to see the Ten Commandments have plenty of options.

They can choose private education or relocate to states that align with their secular preferences.

The Constitution was never meant to eliminate religion from the public square—it was meant to keep the government from establishing a state religion or interfering with personal religious practices.

By siding with activist groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the court sent a message that the religious and historical values cherished by many American families don’t belong in public life.

That’s wrong.

Attorney General Liz Murrill is right to keep fighting.

The full Fifth Circuit or the Supreme Court should have the final say.

A single panel of judges shouldn’t be allowed to shut down a law supported by both the legislature and many Louisiana citizens.

Arkansas has already passed similar legislation, and more states are likely to follow.

The outcome of this legal battle could influence education policy and religious freedom debates nationwide.

This isn’t just a Louisiana issue—it’s a national one.

For families who believe in passing down moral values alongside reading and math, the classroom should remain open to acknowledging America’s religious and legal heritage.

Silencing that heritage is not neutrality—it’s discrimination.

The Bottom Line:

A federal appeals court has blocked Louisiana’s law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, calling it unconstitutional.

The state’s attorney general plans to appeal the decision to higher courts.

This case could have ripple effects across the country as other states consider similar laws.

Whether religious heritage can remain visible in public institutions is now a question for the nation’s highest court.