After a long series of legal challenges, a federal judge has stopped a law in Louisiana requiring every public school classroom — up to and including colleges and universities — to display an image of the Ten Commandments.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a group of parents trying to block the state law have won their case. Louisiana will not be able to resume implementing the law until further notice.
The law would have required the Ten Commandments to be printed in “large, easily readable font” on a poster that is 11 inches by 14 inches (28cm by 35.5cm).
“This ruling should serve as a reality check for Louisiana lawmakers who want to use public schools to convert children to their preferred brand of Christianity,” American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Heather Weaver said in a statement. “Public schools are not Sunday schools, and today’s decision ensures that our clients’ classrooms will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed.”
Laws in other states, such as Texas and Oklahoma, have seen similar legislation proposed in recent months.
