Louisiana mandates display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms

ultra-conservative Magistrate Samuel Alito Supreme Court of the United StatesThey recorded him a few days ago saying what his country really needs Return to the path of Christian devotionOn Wednesday, Republican governorthe symbol of the southern state of Louisiana, Jeff LandryHe firmly followed that lead by passing a law that requires all public colleges and universities in the state to display the Biblical Ten Commandments in classrooms, in a highly controversial decision This challenges the separation between church and state that the Constitution defends.

“If you want to respect the rule of law, you have to start with the original legislator, Moses,” Landry said after that law was ratified Another series of educational measures With which they aim to revolutionize school curriculum from daycare centers to university campuses.

The thorniest of the package, sponsored by a state congresswoman Dody HortonThe Ten Commandments are required to be displayed on “a poster or framed document measuring at least eleven inches by fourteen inches” (28 by 36 centimetres) in a sufficiently large and “easily legible” font.

It must also be accompanied by a “four-paragraph” statement that gives context to explain how the Biblical commandments were “a staple of American public education for nearly three centuries”. Horton, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, is of the view that children can “look up and see what God says is right and what is wrong.” Since they are exposed to so much “garbage” on a daily basis, in his own words, “it is imperative that we keep the Ten Commandments in a prominent place.”

The Republican-created law also requires that a particular version of the orders approved by the Republican-controlled state legislature be shown, not others that stray from their particular doctrine, a decision that has already been denounced by civil rights defense organizations. Freedom of Religion FoundationAs Americans United for Separation of Churches and the American Civil Liberties Union They have already announced legal action against Landry’s measure. They say it violates the law First Amendment to the Constitution,

“This law violates the separation of church and state and is clearly unconstitutional. The First Amendment promises that we will all be able to decide for ourselves, without pressure from the government, what religious beliefs, if any, we should hold and practice. Politicians do not need to impose their religious principles Priority will be given to students and families in public schools,” the statement said.

Landry seems a little concerned by the threat. “I can’t wait for them to sue,” he said, knowing they have the support of the same Supreme Court conservative majority that eliminated federal abortion protections in June 2022. If the suit reaches the high court, the Christian leanings of some of its members could tip the balance in its favor.

Your state is the first to introduce such a rule at the national level. Something similar has already been tried in Utah, Oklahoma or Texas, without becoming law, but it has been seen as a success for the Christian current, which has gained ground after Donald Trump’s time in the White House.

The measure adds to a long history of cases that have questioned the increasingly thin line between Church and state In the first world power. A similar law was declared unconstitutional in Kentucky in 1980 for not serving secular purposes, but the religious argument prevailed in 2022 in the case of a high school football coach who was fired for praying in the middle of the field after finishing a game. Republicans now argue that The historical significance of the Ten Commandments Beyond the purely religious, a matter that must be resolved by the courts.