Appeals Court Blocks Louisiana Law Mandating Ten Commandments Display in Schools
By Michael Gryboski, Editor
Friday, June 20, 2025
In a significant ruling, a panel from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has unanimously struck down Louisiana’s House Bill 71, which mandated the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The decision, issued on Friday, upheld a previous ruling by a lower court, determining that the law infringes on the First Amendment rights of students.
Circuit Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, appointed by President Biden, emphasized that the implementation of HB 71 would subject students to mandatory religious displays throughout their public education without an opt-out option. She stated, “If H.B. 71 goes into effect, students will be subjected to unwelcome displays of the Ten Commandments.”
The American United for Separation of Church & State, which supported the litigants in the case, praised the appeals court’s decision. Rachel Laser, the organization’s president and CEO, remarked that the ruling empowers families to make their own choices about religious engagement, countering attempts by political figures to impose their beliefs on public school students. “This should send a strong message to Christian nationalists that they cannot impose their beliefs on our nation’s public-school children,” Laser stated.
The law, signed by Governor Jeff Landry in June of the previous year, aimed to have the Ten Commandments displayed in classrooms by January, alongside other historical documents. Landry defended the legislation, asserting the Ten Commandments’ foundational role in American law.
Following the law’s enactment, a coalition of legal groups filed a complaint on behalf of families challenging its constitutionality, ultimately leading to the latest appeals court ruling.
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