Lawyers representing the state of Louisiana have filed an emergency appeal with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to halt a recent ruling by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles. The judge's decision declared a state law requiring schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms as unconstitutional. The ruling ordered education officials to inform all 72 local school boards in the state of this determination.
The state plans to appeal the entirety of Judge deGravelles' order but is specifically challenging the directive to notify all school boards. State attorneys argue that the judge exceeded his authority by requiring notification to all districts when only five are named as defendants in the legal challenge. The districts involved are located in East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Tammany, Orleans, and Vernon parishes.
