A proposed law requiring public schools to "permanently display the Ten Commandments in every classroom in Louisiana" has been deemed "unconstitutional," according to a federal appeals court's unanimous ruling Friday.
The law, known as H.B. 71, was signed into law in June 2024. Within days, nine interfaith families filed a lawsuit, arguing it violated the First Amendment and a 1980 Supreme Court precedent. Although the law was set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, the schools attended by the plaintiffs' children were exempt. It remains unclear how many schools, if any, chose to comply.
