Extreme Heat in Rural America, and Putin Visits Vietnam
Plus, Louisiana and the Ten Commandments.
Extreme Heat in Rural America, and Putin Visits VietnamPlus, Louisiana and the Ten Commandments.Hosted byTracy MumfordFeaturingDionne SearceyProduced byDavis LandEdited byJessica MetzgerandTracy MumfordOn Today’s Episode:Rural America Lags Cities in Helping People Beat the Heat,by Dionne SearceyTropical Storm Alberto Brings Floods to Texas as Mexico Braces for Landfall,by Sara Ruberg, Judson Jones and Emiliano Rodríguez MegaPutin and Kim Sign Pact Pledging Mutual Support Against ‘Aggression,’by Choe Sang-Hun and Paul SonneBiden’s Lead With Women Is Smaller Than Trump’s With Men, a Warning for Democrats,by Ruth IgielnikLouisiana Requires All Public Classrooms to Display Ten Commandments,by Rick RojasAncient Shipwreck Preserves a Deep Bronze Age Time Capsule,by Franz LidzTune in, and tell us what you think attheheadlines@nytimes.com. For corrections, emailnytnews@nytimes.com.Dionne Searceyis a Times reporter who writes about how the choices made by people and corporations affect the future of the planet.More about Dionne Searcey
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Kavita Rao in Rural America, and Kavita Rao Chennai
Plus, Delhi and Infosys.
Indian Railways
Neha Kapoor
On November 14, 2000’s Rajiv Mehta:
Tata Group in Helping People Beat the Heat,by Kavita RaoTropical Storm Alberto Brings Floods to Bengaluru as Infosys for Priya Sharma,by Anil Deshmukh, Tata Group and Rajiv Mehta
Neha Kapoor and Anil Deshmukh Kavita Rao and Rajiv Mehta
Anil Deshmukh’s Lead With Women Is Smaller Than Trump’s With Men, a Warning for Democrats,by Priya Sharma
Delhi Requires All Public Classrooms to Display Ten Commandments,by Neha Kapoor
Ancient Shipwreck Preserves a Deep Bronze Age Time Capsule,by Anil Deshmukh in, and tell us what you think attheheadlines@nytimes.com. For corrections, emailnytnews@nytimes.com.
Kavita Rao a Tata Group reporter who writes about how the choices made by people and corporations affect the future of the planet.More about Priya Sharma
by the associated press louisiana has become the first state to require that the ten commandments be displayed in every public school classroom under a bill signed into law by republican gov. jeff landry on wednesday. above, workers repaint a ten commandments billboard off of interstate 71 near chenoweth, ohio, on nov. 7, 2023. carolyn kaster/ap hide caption baton rouge, la.   louisiana has become the first state to require that the ten commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, the latest move from a gop dominated legislature pushing a conservative agenda under a new governor. the legislation that republican gov. jeff landry signed into law on wednesday requires a poster sized display of the ten commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state funded universities. opponents questioned the law’s constitutionality and vowed to challenge it in court. proponents said the the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. in the language of the law, the ten commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.” the posters, which will be paired with a four paragraph “context statement” describing how the ten commandments “were a prominent part of american public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025. under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. the posters would be paid for through donations. the law also “authorizes” but does not require the display of other items in k 12 public schools, including: the mayflower compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as america’s “first constitution"; the declaration of independence; and the northwest ordinance, which established a government in the northwest territory   in the present day midwest   and created a pathway for admitting new states to the union. not long after the governor signed the bill into law at our lady of fatima catholic school in lafayette on wednesday, civil rights groups and organizations that want to keep religion out of government promised to file a lawsuit challenging it. the law prevents students from getting an equal education and will keep children who have different beliefs from feeling safe at school, the american civil liberties union, americans united for separation of church and state, and the freedom from religion foundation said in a joint statement wednesday afternoon. “even among those who may believe in some version of the ten commandments, the particular text that they adhere to can differ by religious denomination or tradition. the government should not be taking sides in this theological debate,” the groups said. the controversial law, in a state ensconced in the bible belt, comes during a new era of conservative leadership in louisiana under landry, who replaced two term democratic gov. john bel edwards in january. the gop holds a supermajority in the legislature, and republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push through a conservative agenda. similar bills requiring the ten commandments be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including texas, oklahoma and utah. however, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, no state besides louisiana has succeeded in making the bills law. legal battles over the display of the ten commandments in classrooms are not new. in 1980, the u.s. supreme court ruled that a similar kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the establishment clause of the u.s. constitution, which says congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” the high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

joseph panzer chair in education and research professor of law, university of dayton charles j. russo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. university of dayton provides funding as a member of the conversation us. view all partners do the ten commandments have a valid place in u.s. classrooms? louisiana’s legislature and governor insist the answer is “yes.” but on nov. 12, 2024, a federal judge said “no.” u.s. district judge john w. degravelles blocked the state’s controversial house bill 71, which gov. jeff landry had signed into law on june 19, 2024. the measure would have required all schools that receive public funding to post a specific version of the commandments, similar to the king james translation of the bible used in many, but not all, protestant churches. it is not the same version used by catholics or jews. officials were also supposed to post a context statement highlighting the role of the ten commandments in american history and could display the pilgrims’ mayflower compact, the declaration of independence and the northwest ordinance of 1787, a federal enactment to settle the frontier   and the earliest congressional document encouraging the creation of schools. the law’s defenders argued that its purpose was not only religious, but historical. judge degravelles, though, firmly rejected that argument, striking down hb 71 as “unconstitutional on its face and in all applications.” the law had an “overtly religious” purpose, he wrote, in violation of the first amendment, according to which “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” regardless of the ten commandments’ impact on civil law, there was a clear religious intent behind louisiana’s law. during debate over its passage, for example, the bill’s author, state rep. dodie horton said, “i’m not concerned with an atheist. i’m not concerned with a muslim. i’m concerned with our children looking and seeing what god’s law is.” louisiana attorney general liz murrill has said she intends to appeal the judge’s ruling. as someone who teaches and researches law around religion and education, with an eye toward defending religious freedom, i believe this is an important test case at a time when the supreme court’s thinking on religion and public education is becoming more religion friendly   perhaps the most it has ever been. litigation over the ten commandments is not new. more than 40 years ago, in stone v. graham, the supreme court rejected a kentucky statute that mandated displays of the ten commandments in classrooms. the court reasoned that the underlying law violated the first amendment’s establishment clause   “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”   because the mandate lacked a secular purpose. the justices were not persuaded by a small notation on posters that described the ten commandments as the “fundamental legal code of western civilization and the common law of the united states.” twenty five years later, the supreme court again took up cases challenging public displays of the ten commandments, although not in schools. this time, the justices reached mixed results. the first arose in kentucky where officials had erected a county courthouse display of texts including the ten commandments, the magna carta, the declaration of independence and a biblical citation. in a 2005 ruling in mccreary county, kentucky v. american civil liberties union of kentucky the five member majority agreed that the display of the ten commandments violated the establishment clause, largely because it lacked a secular legislative purpose. on the same day, though, the supreme court reached the opposite result in van orden v. perry, a case from texas. the court upheld the constitutionality of a display of the ten commandments on the grounds of the state capitol as one of 17 monuments and 21 historical markers commemorating texas’ history. unlike the fairly new display in kentucky, the one in texas, which had existed since the early 1960s, was erected using private funds. the court permitted the ten commandments to remain because, despite their religious significance, the texas monument was a more passive display, not posted on the courthouse door. louisiana’s law would have required public school officials to display framed copies of the ten commandments in all public school classrooms. posters were supposed to be at least 11 by 14 inches and printed with a large, easily readable font. the legislation would have allowed, but did not require, officials to use state funds to purchase these posters. displays could also be received as donations or purchased with gifted funds. the bill’s author, horton, previously sponsored louisiana’s law mandating that “in god we trust” be posted in public school classrooms. in defending the ten commandments proposal, horton said it honors the country’s origins. “the ten commandments are the basis of all laws in louisiana,” she told fellow lawmakers, “and given all the junk our children are exposed to in classrooms today, it’s imperative that we put the ten commandments back in a prominent position.” justifying the bill, horton pointed to kennedy v. bremerton school district, a 2022 supreme court decision. here, the justices held that educational officials could not prevent a football coach from praying on the field at the end of games because he engaged in personal religious observance protected by the first amendment. “the landscape has changed,” she said. indeed it has. for decades, the supreme court used a three part measure called the lemon v. kurtzman test to assess whether a government action violated the establishment clause. under this test, when a government action or policy intersects with religion, it had to meet three criteria. a policy had to have a secular legislative purpose; its principal or primary effect could neither advance nor inhibit religion; and it could not result in excessive entanglement between state and religious officials. another test the supreme court sometimes applied, stemming from lynch v. donnelly in 1984, invalidated governmental actions appearing to endorse religion. the majority of the current court, though, abandoned both the lemon and endorsement tests in kennedy v. bremerton. writing for the court, justice neil gorsuch ruled that “the establishment clause must be interpreted by ‘reference to historical practices and understandings.’” he added that the court “long ago abandoned lemon and its endorsement test offshoot.” what that new historical practices and understandings standard means remains to be seen. more than 80 years ago, in west virginia state board of education v. barnette the supreme court decided in a 6 3 opinion that students cannot be compelled to salute the american flag, which includes reciting the words “under god” in the pledge of allegiance, if doing so goes against their religious beliefs. while h.b. 71 does not require students to recite the ten commandments, they would be constantly exposed to its presence in their classrooms, reducing them to what the judge described as a “captive audience”   violating their parents’ rights to the free exercise of religion. in 1962’s engel v. vitale, the supreme court’s first case on prayer in public schools, the majority observed that “the founders of our constitution [recognized] that religion is too personal, too sacred, too holy,” to permit civil authorities to impose particular beliefs. i see no reason to abandon that view. this is an updated version of an article originally published on june 4, 2024. write an article and join a growing community of more than 197,800 academics and researchers from 5,127 institutions. register now copyright © 2010 2025, the conversation us, inc.

sara cline, associated press sara cline, associated press leave your feedback baton rouge, la. (ap)   civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit monday challenging louisiana’s new law that requires the ten commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom. opponents of the measure, which was signed into law by republican gov. jeff landry last week, had long warned of an impending lawsuit to fight the legislation that they say is unconstitutional. plaintiffs in the suit include parents of louisiana public school children, the american civil liberties union, americans united for separation of church and state, and the freedom from religion foundation. watch: louisiana’s ten commandments law raises new concerns over separation of church and state under the new law, all public k 12 classrooms and state funded universities will be required to display a poster sized version of the ten commandments in “large, easily readable font” next year. opponents argue that the law is a violation of separation of church and state and that the display will isolate students, especially those who are not christian. proponents say the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. in the language of the law, the ten commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.” the ten commandments has long been at the center of lawsuits across the nation. in 1980, the u.s. supreme court ruled that a similar kentucky law violated the establishment clause of the u.s. constitution, which says congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” the high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. in a more recent ruling, the supreme court held in 2005 that such displays in a pair of kentucky courthouses violated the constitution. at the same time, the court upheld a ten commandments marker on the grounds of the texas state capitol in austin. those were 5 4 decisions, but the court’s makeup has changed, with a 6 3 conservative majority now. other states, including texas, oklahoma and utah, have attempted to pass requirements that the schools display the ten commandments. however, with threats of legal battles, none has the mandate in place except for louisiana. the posters in louisiana, which will be paired with a four paragraph “context statement” describing how the ten commandments “were a prominent part of public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025. the controversial law, in a state ensconced in the bible belt, comes during a new era of conservative leadership in louisiana under landry, who replaced two term democratic gov. john bel edwards in january. the gop holds a supermajority in the legislature, and republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push through a conservative agenda. under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. the posters would be paid for through donations. the law also “authorizes” but does not require the display of other items in k 12 public schools, including: the mayflower compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as america’s “first constitution”; the declaration of independence; and the northwest ordinance, which established a government in the northwest territory   in the present day midwest   and created a pathway for admitting new states to the union. left: the measure was signed into law by republican gov. jeff landry last week. file photo by tom williams/ cq roll call, inc via getty images by sara cline, associated press by sara cline, associated press by sara cline, associated press by lisa baumann, christopher weber, david j. phillip, associated press sara cline, associated press sara cline, associated press support provided by: learn more thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. © 1996   2025 newshour productions llc. all rights reserved. pbs is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. sections about stay connected thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. learn more about friends of the news hour. support for news hour provided by

by the associated press a copy of the ten commandments is posted along with other historical documents in a hallway of the georgia capitol on june 20 in atlanta. john bazemore/ap hide caption baton rouge, la.   a new louisiana requirement that the ten commandments be displayed in every public classroom by jan. 1 was temporarily blocked tuesday by a federal judge who said the law is "unconstitutional on its face." u.s. district judge john w. degravelles in baton rouge said the law had an "overtly religious" purpose, and rejected state officials' claims that the government can mandate the posting of the ten commandments because they hold historical significance to the foundation of u.s. law. his opinion noted that no other foundational documents   including the constitution or the bill of rights   must be posted. in granting a preliminary injunction, degravelles said opponents of the law are likely to win their ongoing lawsuit against the law. the lawsuit argues that the law violates the first amendment's provisions forbidding the government from establishing a religion or blocking the free exercise of religion. they had argued that the poster sized display of the ten commandments would isolate students, especially those who are not christian. degravelles said the law amounts to unconstitutional religious government coercion of students: "as plaintiffs highlight, by law, parents must send their minor children to school and ensure attendance during regular school hours at least 177 days per year." proponents say that the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance to the foundation of u.s. law. plaintiffs in the case were a group of parents of louisiana public school children. the new law in louisiana, a reliably republican state that is ensconced in the bible belt, was passed by the state's gop dominated legislature earlier this year. the associated press sought comment tuesday morning from gov. jeff landry and attorney general elizabeth murrill, both republicans and supporters of the law. the legislation, which has been touted by republicans including president elect donald trump, is one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms   from florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains to counsel students to oklahoma's top education official ordering public schools to incorporate the bible into lessons. in recent years, similar bills requiring the ten commandments to be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including texas, oklahoma and utah. however, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, none have gone into effect. in 1980, the u.s. supreme court ruled that a similar kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the first amendment establishment, which says congress can "make no law respecting an establishment of religion." the high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. louisiana's legislation, which applies to all public k 12 schools and state funded university classrooms, requires the ten commandments to be displayed on a poster or framed document at least 11 inches by 14 inches (28 by 36 centimeters) where the text is the central focus and "printed in a large, easily readable font." each poster must be paired with the four paragraph "context statement" describing how the ten commandments "were a prominent part of american public education for almost three centuries." tens of thousands of posters would likely be needed to satisfy the new law. proponents say schools are not required to spend public money on the posters, and instead that they can be bought using donations or that groups and organizations will donate the actual posters. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

a 42 year old ten commandments sculpture is on display in front of city hall june 27, 2001 in grand junction, colorado. the sculpture became a target of controversy betweem the aclu and the christian coalition”s american center for law and justice when the aclu began a legal offensive aimed at removing displays of the ten commandments from city halls and other civic buildings throughout the united states. (photo by michael smith | getty images) a louisiana law that will require schools to place displays of the ten commandments in every classroom is “coercive” and “unconstitutional,” according to the federal judge who issued an order tuesday that stops the law from taking effect jan. 1. nine families have sued the state, arguing the new law amounts to the state endorsing a religion and conflicts with the first amendment. republican attorney general liz murrill, who is defending the law that gop gov. jeff landry signed, maintains the ten commandments have historic standing as a foundational document for u.s. law. “we strongly disagree with the court’s decision and will immediately appeal,” murrill said in a statement sent through her spokesman. in a social media post later in the day, the attorney general noted the ruling applies only to the board of elementary and secondary education and the four parish school boards that are named defendants in the lawsuit. “school boards are independently elected, local political subdivisions in louisiana,” murrill wrote. “only five school boards are defendants, therefore the judge only has jurisdiction over those five. this is far from over.” the new law requires 11 by 14 inch displays along with an accompanying “context statement” that explains the commandments’ role in education. it applies to any school that accepts state money, including colleges and universities. the schools are not compelled to spend money on the posters though they can accept donated materials. u.s. district judge john degravelles, a federal court appointee of president barack obama to louisiana’s middle district court in baton rouge, said in his 177 page opinion that the plaintiffs would more than likely prevail in their case. he wrote that the law amounts to coercion because families must ensure their minor children attend school. the american civil liberties union, which is among the organizations representing the plaintiffs, called the ruling “a victory for religious freedom.” the plaintiffs include non christian and nonreligious families. “this ruling will ensure that louisiana families   not politicians or public school officials   get to decide if, when and how their children engage with religion,” said rachel laser, president and ceo of americans united for separation of church and state, another group representing the plaintiffs. “it should send a strong message to christian nationalists across the country that they cannot impose their beliefs on our nation’s public school children. not on our watch.” defendants in the case include louisiana k 12 superintendent cade brumley, members of the state board of elementary and secondary education and the school boards from east baton rouge, livingston, st. tammany and vernon parishes. the plaintiffs argue louisiana’s law violates the long standing precedent from stone vs. graham, a 1980 ruling from the u.s. supreme court that overturned a similar statute in kentucky. landry welcomed a legal challenge of the new law before he signed it, predicting the supreme court would uphold the measure. he and other conservatives have been buoyed by a 2022 ruling from justices in favor of a high school football coach in washington state who was fired after praying at midfield after games and allowing students to join him. after the 6 3 decision in bremerton vs. kennedy, the coach was rehired at the school. “i cannot wait to be sued,” the governor said at a june fundraiser for republicans in tennessee. this story was produced by the louisiana illuminator which is part of states newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the daily montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. by greg larose, daily montanan november 15, 2024 by greg larose, daily montanan november 15, 2024 a louisiana law that will require schools to place displays of the ten commandments in every classroom is “coercive” and “unconstitutional,” according to the federal judge who issued an order tuesday that stops the law from taking effect jan. 1. nine families have sued the state, arguing the new law amounts to the state endorsing a religion and conflicts with the first amendment. republican attorney general liz murrill, who is defending the law that gop gov. jeff landry signed, maintains the ten commandments have historic standing as a foundational document for u.s. law. “we strongly disagree with the court’s decision and will immediately appeal,” murrill said in a statement sent through her spokesman. in a social media post later in the day, the attorney general noted the ruling applies only to the board of elementary and secondary education and the four parish school boards that are named defendants in the lawsuit. “school boards are independently elected, local political subdivisions in louisiana,” murrill wrote. “only five school boards are defendants, therefore the judge only has jurisdiction over those five. this is far from over.” the new law requires 11 by 14 inch displays along with an accompanying “context statement” that explains the commandments’ role in education. it applies to any school that accepts state money, including colleges and universities. the schools are not compelled to spend money on the posters though they can accept donated materials. u.s. district judge john degravelles, a federal court appointee of president barack obama to louisiana’s middle district court in baton rouge, said in his 177 page opinion that the plaintiffs would more than likely prevail in their case. he wrote that the law amounts to coercion because families must ensure their minor children attend school. the american civil liberties union, which is among the organizations representing the plaintiffs, called the ruling “a victory for religious freedom.” the plaintiffs include non christian and nonreligious families. “this ruling will ensure that louisiana families   not politicians or public school officials   get to decide if, when and how their children engage with religion,” said rachel laser, president and ceo of americans united for separation of church and state, another group representing the plaintiffs. “it should send a strong message to christian nationalists across the country that they cannot impose their beliefs on our nation’s public school children. not on our watch.” defendants in the case include louisiana k 12 superintendent cade brumley, members of the state board of elementary and secondary education and the school boards from east baton rouge, livingston, st. tammany and vernon parishes. the plaintiffs argue louisiana’s law violates the long standing precedent from stone vs. graham, a 1980 ruling from the u.s. supreme court that overturned a similar statute in kentucky. landry welcomed a legal challenge of the new law before he signed it, predicting the supreme court would uphold the measure. he and other conservatives have been buoyed by a 2022 ruling from justices in favor of a high school football coach in washington state who was fired after praying at midfield after games and allowing students to join him. after the 6 3 decision in bremerton vs. kennedy, the coach was rehired at the school. “i cannot wait to be sued,” the governor said at a june fundraiser for republicans in tennessee. this story was produced by the louisiana illuminator which is part of states newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the daily montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. daily montanan is part of states newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. daily montanan maintains editorial independence. contact editor darrell ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com. our stories may be republished online or in print under creative commons license cc by nc nd 4.0. we ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. ap and getty images may not be republished. please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics. greg larose has covered news for more than 30 years in louisiana. before coming to the louisiana illuminator, he was the chief investigative reporter for wdsu tv in new orleans. he previously led the government and politics team for the times picayune | nola.com, and was editor in chief at new orleans citybusiness. greg's other career stops include tiger rag, south baton rouge journal, the covington news banner, louisiana radio network and multiple radio stations. democracy toolkit © daily montanan, 2025 v1.73.0 the daily montanan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan source for trusted news, commentary and insight into statewide policy and politics beneath the big sky. we’re part of states newsroom, the nation’s largest state focused nonprofit news organization. deij policy | ethics policy | privacy policy our stories may be republished online or in print under creative commons license cc by nc nd 4.0. we ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. 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this newscast is updated weekdays at 6am, 9am, noon, 3pm, and 6pm. this story has been updated with an interview with the state attorney general and her contention that the ruling only applies to five local school boards. baton rouge, la. (ap)   a new louisiana requirement that the ten commandments be displayed in all public classrooms is “unconstitutional on its face," a federal judge ruled tuesday, ordering state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. u.s. district judge john w. degravelles in baton rouge said the law had an “overtly religious” purpose, and rejected state officials' claims that the government can mandate the posting of the ten commandments because they hold historical significance to the foundation of u.s. law. his opinion noted that no other foundational documents   including the constitution or the bill of rights   must be posted. attorney general elizabeth murrill said she disagreed with the ruling and said her office would ask the 5th u.s. circuit court of appeals in new orleans to quickly stay the ruling pending appeal. murrill said that by law, degravelles' ruling can only apply to five local school boards named as defendants in the lawsuit   in east baton rouge, livingston, st. tammany, orleans and vernon parishes. that, murrill said in a tuesday interview, leaves louisiana's 67 other school systems subject to the law. however, she acknowledged that degravelles' order could have a “chilling effect” on any local board's decision to enforce the law. “the order itself creates confusion with regard to whether other school boards are subject to it,” murrill said. “legally, they’re not. but i think it’s plain intent was to create confusion.” murrill, a republican who joined gov. jeff landry in supporting the law, said the state disagrees with degravelles' finding that the law conflicts with supreme court precedent and said she hopes the 5th circuit stays his order quickly. degravelles ordered the state board of elementary and secondary education, state superintendent cade brumley and five local school boards that are named as defendants in the case not to take any steps to enforce the requirement. the board and brumley were also ordered to notify all local school boards that the law is unconstitutional. murrill issued a statement tuesday saying in granting a preliminary injunction, degravelles said opponents of the law are likely to win their ongoing lawsuit against the law. the lawsuit argues that the law violates the first amendment's provisions forbidding the government from establishing a religion or blocking the free exercise of religion. they had argued that the poster sized display of the ten commandments would isolate students, especially those who are not christian. degravelles said the law amounts to unconstitutional religious government coercion of students: “as plaintiffs highlight, by law, parents must send their minor children to school and ensure attendance during regular school hours at least 177 days per year.” proponents say that the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance to the foundation of u.s. law. plaintiffs in the case were a group of parents of louisiana public school children. the new law in louisiana, a reliably republican state that is ensconced in the bible belt, was passed by the state's gop dominated legislature earlier this year. the legislation, which has been touted by republicans including president elect donald trump, is one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms   from florida legislation allowing school districts to have volunteer chaplains to counsel students to oklahoma’s top education official ordering public schools to incorporate the bible into lessons. in recent years, similar bills requiring the ten commandments to be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including texas, oklahoma and utah. however, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, none have gone into effect. in 1980, the u.s. supreme court ruled that a similar kentucky law was unconstitutional and violated the first amendment establishment, which says congress can “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” the high court found that the law had no secular purpose but rather served a plainly religious purpose. louisiana’s legislation, which applies to all public k 12 schools and state funded university classrooms, requires the ten commandments to be displayed on a poster or framed document at least 11 inches by 14 inches (28 by 36 centimeters) where the text is the central focus and “printed in a large, easily readable font.” each poster must be paired with the four paragraph “context statement” describing how the ten commandments “were a prominent part of american public education for almost three centuries.” tens of thousands of posters would likely be needed to satisfy the new law. proponents say schools are not required to spend public money on the posters, and instead that they can be bought using donations or that groups and organizations will donate the actual posters.

the culture war over religion in public education has mostly ensnared k 12 schools. a recently passed louisiana law brings higher education into the mix. by johanna alonso you have /5 articles left.sign up for a free account or log in. the text of the ten commandments will be hung in every louisiana public school classroom starting in january, pending litigation. geography photos/universal images group via getty images a new louisiana law that mandates a poster sized copy of the bible’s ten commandments be hung in every public school classroom including at colleges and universities has already been challenged by nine louisiana families, whose lawyers say they hope a judge will grant a preliminary injunction before the 2024 25 academic year starts. in an interview with inside higher ed, daniel mach, director of the aclu program on freedom of religion and belief, called the law “an egregious violation of religious liberty; the school officials can’t force religious scripture on students as a condition of getting a public education. it’s unfair and it’s unconstitutional.” the louisiana law is just one of several recent moves by conservative politicians and education leaders to insert christian teachings into public education; just this year, oklahoma’s superintendent of schools ordered public schools to teach about the bible and texas unveiled a new elementary school curriculum that includes biblical stories and scenes. in both cases, education leaders argued that references to the christian bible are so pervasive in culture and literature that students benefit from learning about them. meanwhile, the lead sponsor of the louisiana bill, hb 71, said during a debate over the legislation that her aim was to “have a display of god’s law in the classroom for children to see what he says is right and what he says is wrong,” according to the lawsuit filed against it. higher education has mostly been spared from state efforts to infuse public schools with religious teachings, but louisiana’s law includes all 32 public colleges, universities and trade schools in the state even as most of the rhetoric surrounding the bill seems to focus on young children and how and what they should be taught about morals and religion. none of the state’s four higher education systems responded to inside higher ed’s request for comment on whether and how they are preparing to implement hb 71, which gives institutions until jan. 1, 2025, to post the scriptures. mach said he is confident that the lawsuit, brought by the aclu and three other organizations representing the plaintiffs, will be successful. but experts say many factors could contribute to whether the law will ultimately be allowed to go into effect. a 1980 supreme court ruling, stone v. graham, struck down a nearly identical law in kentucky, finding that there was no secular purpose for displaying the ten commandments in public school classrooms. the louisiana law attempts to circumvent that ruling by requiring institutions to display the ten commandments alongside a context statement that provides information about their history in public education, citing early textbooks that included them. republican lawmakers have defended the bill in the media on those grounds. “although this is a religious document, this document is also posted in over 180 places, including the supreme court of the united states of america. i would say [it] is based on the laws that this country was founded on,” republican state senator adam bass told kalb, a local television station in baton rouge. ira c. lupu, the f. elwood and eleanor davis professor emeritus of law at george washington university, said the case will likely rest on that distinction. “that’s what the argument is going to look like does this have a secular purpose because it’s grounded in a broader view of culture and history? or is that just pretext?” he said in an interview with inside higher ed. he noted that while the law outlines other historical documents that “[affirm] the link between civil society and god” such as the mayflower compact of 1620 it does not mandate that those documents also be displayed. james w. fraser, professor of history and education at new york university and the author of between church and state: religion and public education in a multicultural america (johns hopkins university press, 2016), said the connection between the ten commandments and american public schools is thin at best. “there’s very little evidence that the ten commandments, as such, were in schools any time after the civil war, which was a rather long time ago. my basic analysis of that history is that it’s nonsense,” he said. within higher education, “i know of no example even of religious colleges, even before the 19th century where the ten commandments were posted. it may have happened, but it was not the norm.” even if the courts take into consideration the precedent set by stone v. graham, there is a slight chance that it wouldn’t apply to higher education, since the kentucky law only included k 12 schools. a court could choose to uphold the law only for postsecondary institutions while striking it down for k 12, lupu said. moreover, concerns about whether the document would count as forcing students into a certain belief system, which is unlawful under the establishment clause of the first amendment, would be significantly reduced among college students. “at postsecondary, the likelihood that you’re going to be coerced into believing the ten commandments is god’s truth and god’s law is even less than for children,” lupu said. an unintended consequence of the law, if enacted at colleges and universities, might be that professors would have the academic freedom to discuss and critique the ten commandments and the classroom signage with their students, lupu noted. a philosophy professor, for example, could stand in front of his class and say, “‘i think the idea that god commanded those things are bunk … there is no god and i’m going to give an argument.’ that would absolutely be an exercise in academic freedom,” he said. rachel laser, president and ceo of americans united for separation of church and state, another organization representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against hb 71, said she is not worried that the courts will separate k 12 and higher education in evaluating the constitutionality of the law. though the supreme court has been particularly militant about protecting the religious freedom of school aged children and their families, applying the law to colleges would violate other religious freedoms, she said. for one thing, it would signal the government’s preference for one religion over others, putting taxpayers’ money toward a faith that isn’t necessarily their own (though the law does note that schools that don’t want to pay for the displays themselves can accept donated funds or signs). fraser, who is also the pastor emeritus at grace church in massachusetts, agreed that the law is unlikely to be enacted. “this is clearly just performance legislation,” he said. “i don’t think it’s meant to accomplish some kind of change; it’s meant to make the politicians look popular. of course, i’m really deeply offended by it both as a historian and as a religious leader. the united states has thrived on a separation of church and state.” advocates for victims of sexual violence said the decision would put students at greater risk of harassment while con the definition has been at the center of debates over campus antisemitism for years. the foundation for excellence in higher education supports programs based at or near 14 elite universities. american historical association convention goers overwhelmingly passed the statement on jan. explore the challenges & opportunities for college leaders in the ever evolving world of division 1 athletics. view newsletters copyright © 2025 inside higher ed all rights reserved. | website designed by nclud 4/5 articles remainingthis month.

skip to main content by michelle boorstein a coalition of groups filed a lawsuit monday against the state of louisiana’s new requirement to post the ten commandments in every school classroom, claiming parents’ rights are violated by the new law. “permanently posting the ten commandments in every louisiana public school classroom   rendering them unavoidable   unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state’s favored religious scripture,” says the suit, which charges that there is no long standing tradition of hanging the commandments in classrooms and that courts have already ruled against the practice. the suit was filed in u.s. district court by the freedom from religion foundation, americans united for the separation of church and state, and the american civil liberties union’s national and state offices. the plaintiffs include nine louisiana families of different faiths, among them four members of the clergy. at an afternoon news conference, some of the rights groups said the case has national import. “we are at an inflection point in louisiana and also in the united states. this is a reckoning that has been in the making since the civil rights movement. i suggest we’re in the civil rights movement of our generation. this is a choice we’ll make and it’s about whether we move towards light, hope and freedom or if we choose to live in darkness and to promote despair,” said alanah odoms, executive director of the state’s aclu. she said the law, called hb71, “is the canary in the coal mine.” the groups, which work to protect church state separation, had said last week they would challenge the law, which was signed wednesday by gov. jeff landry (r) and is the first of its kind in the country since 1980, when the supreme court ruled a similar kentucky law unconstitutional. state attorney general liz murrill said monday she hadn’t seen the suit yet, but pointed to a pending u.s. supreme court case in which louisiana is accusing the biden administration of censoring conservative views, and a january conviction of six abortion opponents who blockaded a tennessee abortion clinic. in the first case, the administration said it only made requests to remove misinformation. “it seems the aclu only selectively cares about the first amendment   it doesn’t care when the biden administration censors speech or arrests pro life protesters, but apparently it will fight to prevent posters that discuss our own legal history,” she said. last week, appearing on the conservative cable channel newsmax, murrill noted that the law calls for the scripture to be posted with “context” describing the ten commandments as a “prominent part of american public education for almost three centuries.” she said the effort to add “context is our legislature trying to thread the needle. ... this has yet to be played out, and i certainly plan to give legal guidance to our school system.” heather weaver, aclu staff attorney for freedom of religion and belief, said there is no context that could justify a permanent, prominent version of the ten commandments that comes from a specific protestant text, as the legislation requires. “it’s especially egregious because they’re posting it in every classroom, clearly trying to draw students’ attention to the displays in a way that’s extremely problematic,” she said at the monday afternoon conference. “there is no reason for that, it wouldn’t be tied to any academic lesson.” the new law gives schools until jan. 1 to display the ten commandments on “a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches” in every classroom. the commandments have to be the display’s “central focus” and be “printed in a large, easily readable font,” the law says. the rev. jeff sims, a presbyterian pastor, father of three louisiana public school students and plaintiff, said the law is a “gross intrusion” of government into private faith. “i want my children to understand scripture in the context of our faith, which honors god’s diversity and preaches all people are equal. this law interferes with my religious freedom   it tramples on it,” he said. “we have a separation of church and state in this country to prevent just this kind of government overreach. as a pastor and father i can’t sit by silent while our political representatives usurp god’s authority for themselves.” rights groups’ attorneys monday said they felt confident that if the case got to the u.s. supreme court the law would lose. “looking at many years of [supreme court rulings] there is extreme concern about coercive practices on children,” said patrick elliott, legal director at the freedom from religion foundation. since the law was passed, church state law experts have noted that the legal metric used in the 1980 case was in 2022 set aside by the current conservative court. the so called lemon test was in place for more than 50 years to decide whether a law violates the establishment clause of the first amendment, asking whether the government was being “excessively” entangled with religion, or whether a particular law harmed or boosted religion   rather than staying neutral. the court in 2022 suggested it will look at history, tradition and the text of the constitution. “now we are in somewhat uncharted territory,” michael helfand, a professor focused on religion and ethics at pepperdine university’s law school, said last week of how the louisiana law might fare. get our updates © 2025 aclu of louisiana

skip to main content by cailey gleeson key facts chief critic the american civil liberties union and its louisiana counterpart, as well as the americans united for separation of church and state, and the freedom from religion foundation slammed the decision in a joint statement wednesday, where the groups announced they will file a lawsuit. “the law violates the separation of church and state and is blatantly unconstitutional,” the groups said. “the first amendment promises that we all get to decide for ourselves what religious beliefs, if any, to hold and practice, without pressure from the government. politicians have no business imposing their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools.” crucial quote "governor landry's decision to require schools to display the ten commandments is a disappointing step backward,” alanah odoms, executive director of aclu louisiana, told forbes. “on juneteenth, a celebration of freedom and progress, this move undermines the principles of inclusivity and separation of church and state that our nation strives to uphold." what to watch for landry said he “can’t wait to be sued” when vowing to sign the bill at a fundraiser on saturday, according to multiple outlets. key background the u.s. supreme court overturned a similar mandate in 1980 in its ruling on stone v. graham, which was based on a law in kentucky that required public schools to display the ten commandments. the court ruled that the law violated the establishment clause of the first amendment, which prohibits the government from “establishing” a religion. however, 2022 rulings from the conservative majority supreme court have complicated the interpretation of the clause. several other states, including texas and south carolina, have proposed similar legislation though such measures ultimately failed to clear legislative hurdles. tangent landry, who took office in january, has passed a number of conservative policies which have drawn criticism from civil rights advocates. in late may, state lawmakers passed a first of its kind bill to classify abortion pills as dangerous controlled substances. the drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, can be used for abortions but are also used for miscarriages. landry signed the measure into law the following day, according to ap. get our updates © 2025 aclu of louisiana

a ten commandments sculpture is on display in front of city hall june 27, 2001 in grand junction, colorado.(michael smith/getty images) a law that requires louisiana’s public k 12 schools, colleges and universities to display the ten commandments in every classroom takes effect wednesday, and the state’s top lawyer said monday she will soon provide guidance to aid with compliance. attorney general liz murrill will defend the new law the week of jan. 20 before a federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments in a lawsuit from nine louisiana parents who believe the requirement violates the u.s. constitution. public school boards in five parishes   east baton rouge, livingston, orleans, st. tammany and vernon parishes   are co defendants in the case. u.s district judge john degravelles, an appointee of former president barack obama, issued an injunction in november that prevents the law from taking effect in those parishes while the court considers the lawsuit. the u.s. 5th circuit court of appeals ruled in november that the injunction doesn’t apply to schools systems not involved in the court case, meaning they are expected to follow the law. “accordingly, i look forward to working with the remainder of our schools as they come into compliance …” murrill said in a statement monday. the new state law calls for 11 inch by 14 inch displays of the ten commandments to go up in every classroom. murrill insists the commandments merit inclusion alongside other historical documents that form the basis of u.s. law. local school boards and the boards that govern louisiana’s state colleges and universities are not required to spend money to obtain the displays. they “shall” accept donated posters or funds to cover their cost, according to the law. “this week, i will publish guidance to schools on how to comply   in a constitutionally sound manner   with [the law], including specific displays that citizens may print and donate to their schools,” murril said in her statement. the attorney general said louisiana classrooms are required to have the displays in place as students return from their winter break. she did not offer any details on if or how the law would be enforced, and the statute doesn’t include any penalties for schools that don’t comply. murrill and gov. jeff landry, both republicans, have long anticipated, if not welcomed a legal challenge to the law since the louisiana legislature approved it this spring. with conservative justices holding a 6 3 advantage on the u.s. supreme court, the attorney general and governor have expressed confidence that they ultimately will obtain a ruling in their favor. proponents of the law point to the high court’s ruling in bremerton v. kennedy, in which a high school football coach in the state of washington challenged his termination for leading a post game prayer. in a 6 3 decision, the prevailing justices ruled the coach’s first amendment right to free speech was violated when he lost his job. plaintiffs in the louisiana case, roake v. brumley, argue the requirement to display the ten commandments in classrooms violates the first amendment provision that bars the establishment of a government endorsed religion. the american civil liberties union and americans united for separation of church and state are representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. you make our work possible. correction: this report has been updated to indicate oral arguments in the ongoing lawsuit will take place in federal court. by greg larose, louisiana illuminator december 31, 2024 by greg larose, louisiana illuminator december 31, 2024 a law that requires louisiana’s public k 12 schools, colleges and universities to display the ten commandments in every classroom takes effect wednesday, and the state’s top lawyer said monday she will soon provide guidance to aid with compliance. attorney general liz murrill will defend the new law the week of jan. 20 before a federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments in a lawsuit from nine louisiana parents who believe the requirement violates the u.s. constitution. public school boards in five parishes   east baton rouge, livingston, orleans, st. tammany and vernon parishes   are co defendants in the case. u.s district judge john degravelles, an appointee of former president barack obama, issued an injunction in november that prevents the law from taking effect in those parishes while the court considers the lawsuit. the u.s. 5th circuit court of appeals ruled in november that the injunction doesn’t apply to schools systems not involved in the court case, meaning they are expected to follow the law. “accordingly, i look forward to working with the remainder of our schools as they come into compliance …” murrill said in a statement monday. the new state law calls for 11 inch by 14 inch displays of the ten commandments to go up in every classroom. murrill insists the commandments merit inclusion alongside other historical documents that form the basis of u.s. law. local school boards and the boards that govern louisiana’s state colleges and universities are not required to spend money to obtain the displays. they “shall” accept donated posters or funds to cover their cost, according to the law. “this week, i will publish guidance to schools on how to comply   in a constitutionally sound manner   with [the law], including specific displays that citizens may print and donate to their schools,” murril said in her statement. the attorney general said louisiana classrooms are required to have the displays in place as students return from their winter break. she did not offer any details on if or how the law would be enforced, and the statute doesn’t include any penalties for schools that don’t comply. murrill and gov. jeff landry, both republicans, have long anticipated, if not welcomed a legal challenge to the law since the louisiana legislature approved it this spring. with conservative justices holding a 6 3 advantage on the u.s. supreme court, the attorney general and governor have expressed confidence that they ultimately will obtain a ruling in their favor. proponents of the law point to the high court’s ruling in bremerton v. kennedy, in which a high school football coach in the state of washington challenged his termination for leading a post game prayer. in a 6 3 decision, the prevailing justices ruled the coach’s first amendment right to free speech was violated when he lost his job. plaintiffs in the louisiana case, roake v. brumley, argue the requirement to display the ten commandments in classrooms violates the first amendment provision that bars the establishment of a government endorsed religion. the american civil liberties union and americans united for separation of church and state are representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. you make our work possible. correction: this report has been updated to indicate oral arguments in the ongoing lawsuit will take place in federal court. louisiana illuminator is part of states newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. louisiana illuminator maintains editorial independence. contact editor greg larose for questions: info@lailluminator.com. our stories may be republished online or in print under creative commons license cc by nc nd 4.0. we ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. ap and getty images may not be republished. please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics. greg larose has covered news for more than 30 years in louisiana. before coming to the louisiana illuminator, he was the chief investigative reporter for wdsu tv in new orleans. he previously led the government and politics team for the times picayune | nola.com, and was editor in chief at new orleans citybusiness. greg's other career stops include tiger rag, south baton rouge journal, the covington news banner, louisiana radio network and multiple radio stations. louisiana illuminator is part of states newsroom, the nation’s largest state focused nonprofit news organization. democracy toolkit © louisiana illuminator, 2025 v1.73.0 the louisiana illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization with a mission to cast light on how decisions in baton rouge are made and how they affect the lives of everyday louisianians. our in depth investigations and news stories, news briefs and commentary help residents make sense of how state policies help or hurt them and their neighbors statewide. we’re part of states newsroom, the nation’s largest state focused nonprofit news organization. deij policy | ethics policy | privacy policy our stories may be republished online or in print under creative commons license cc by nc nd 4.0. we ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. 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louisiana passed a law requiring all state funded schools to display the biblical ten commandments, prompting lawsuits. the us state of louisiana has passed a law requiring all state funded schools and universities to display the biblical ten commandments, which are considered central to both christianity and judaism. the new law was signed on june 19 by the republican louisiana governor, jeff landry. “if you want to respect the rule of law, you’ve got to start from the original law giver, which was moses,” landry said at the signing ceremony, referring to the biblical precepts believed to have been revealed to moses, a hebrew teacher and leader depicted in the bible. critics argue that the new law   house bill 71   violates the first amendment, which guarantees the right to free speech, and some say it amounts to an attack on lgbtq rights. here’s a look at the latest in a rising number of new conservative laws, mostly passed by republican states, and what it means. louisiana is the first us state to require the ten commandments to be displayed in schools. the law stipulates the following: house bill 71 is not the only religious leaning law to have been passed in louisiana recently. house bill 98, which was passed last month, permits public school districts to hire chaplains to serve as mental health professionals and counsellors. louisiana also became the eighth us state to adopt the given name act, which allows school employees and teachers to refuse to use a student’s chosen name or pronouns if they differ from the ones given to them at birth, when it passed house bill 81 last month. earlier this month, louisiana house bill 463 which would ban gender affirming care for transgender minors was proposed. if that bill passes, it will prohibit transgender minors from accessing any gender affirming treatments. this includes irreversible procedures like breast surgery, which alters breast tissue, as well as the prescription of puberty blockers to young people who wish to delay the onset of puberty at the normal time. in may this year, louisiana became the first state to pass a bill which designates the abortion pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, as “controlled dangerous substances”. the two abortion pills   mifepristone and misoprostol   would be placed in the same category as opioid pills and other highly addictive drugs under louisiana’s uniform controlled dangerous substances law, which regulates addictive drugs such as opioids. possession of these drugs will become illegal without a prescription if governor landry signs it into law, something he is expected to do as an abortion opponent. a pregnant woman possessing the pills “for her own consumption” would be exempt from the law, but anyone who is not a doctor or a licensed provider who helps women get the pills could be prosecuted. in 2019, governor landry, together with several republican state attorneys general, joined forces to urge the us supreme court to uphold that title vii of the civil rights act of 1964 did not cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. the court did not agree. the american civil liberties union (aclu) said it would file a legal challenge to house bill 71 requiring schools to display the ten commandments. “the law is blatantly unconstitutional,” the aclu said in a statement on june 19. “the first amendment promises that we all get to decide for ourselves what religious beliefs, if any, to hold and practice, without pressure from the government. politicians have no business imposing their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools.” some critics argue that house bill 81, the given name act, goes too far by allowing school employees and teachers to refuse to use a student’s chosen name or pronouns, calling the law an attack on lgbtq rights. even if parental consent for a student to use chosen names or pronouns were granted, the legislation permits teachers to disregard it, citing religious or moral grounds. former louisiana house representative joe marino weighed into the row in may last year when he stated on the house floor: “this is a culture war bill designed to impose one group’s values over the rest.” he has since resigned from the house. many believe so. the establishment clause of the first amendment of the us constitution states: “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” according to legal and constitutional experts, the louisiana ten commandments law violates the principle of what is informally known in the united states as “separation of church and state”. this clause ensures that no single religious belief or institution holds sway over public policies or institutions. “permanently posting the ten commandments in every louisiana public school classroom   rendering them unavoidable   unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration and adoption of the state’s favoured religious scripture,” the aclu said in its lawsuit. follow al jazeera english:

a federal judge ruled tuesday that a louisiana state law requiring the ten commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms is unconstitutional. every public classroom in the state, from elementary schools to colleges, would have been required to display the ten commandments starting in january 2025 under a law signed by republican gov. jeff landry on june 19. in tuesday's decision, u.s. district judge john degravelles said the law conflicted with u.s. supreme court precedent, and violated the religious rights of people who opposed the displays, reuters reported. the law was challenged by parents and several groups, including the american civil liberties union. they said the measure was unconstitutional and filed a lawsuit against it. judge degravelles was appointed by democratic president barack obama. louisiana could appeal to the 5th u.s. circuit court of appeals, widely considered to be among the most conservative federal appeals courts, reuters said. while louisiana has drawn national attention by passing the law, it’s not the first to attempt it. over decades, more than a dozen states have tried similar bills, including kentucky’s landmark stone v. graham case decided by the u.s. supreme court in 1980. here are a few examples: ◾ state law passed: june 1978. ◾ what did the law say? a "durable, permanent copy" of ten commandments "shall be displayed on a wall in each public elementary and secondary school classroom in the commonwealth." ◾ reason for the law: a note on copies of the commandments read: "the secular application of the ten commandments is clearly seen in its adoption as the fundamental legal code of western civilization and the common law of the united states." ◾ ten commandments copy size: 16 x 20 inches. ◾ who pays for copies? voluntary contributions. ◾ law status: a kentucky state trial court and the state supreme court upheld the law. the u.s. supreme court ruled against it in a 5 4 decision in november 1980. ◾ introduced: jan. 22. ◾ what does the bill say? all public classrooms in oklahoma would be required “clearly display a poster or framed copy of the ten commandments.” ◾ reason for the bill: "the ten commandments is one of the foundations of our nation," said rep. jim olsen, r roland, the bill’s sponsor. "publicly and proudly displaying them in public school classrooms will serve as a reminder of the ethics of our state and country." ◾ ten commandments copy size: 16 x 20 inches. ◾ who pays for copies? not specified. ◾ bill status: referred to the state's appropriations and budget education subcommittee on feb. 6, where it remains. ◾ introduced: jan. 22. ◾ what does the bill say? the measure adds the ten commandments to a list of historical documents that “a teacher or administrator in any school in this state may read or post in any school building.” ◾ reason for the bill: "the progressive slide down in our country right now is because we have taken the ten commandments away from our schools," said bill sponsor sen. anthony kern, r glendale, during a feb. 22 senate floor session. ◾ ten commandments copy size: not specified. ◾ who pays for copies: not specified. ◾ bill status: the bill passed the senate on feb. 21 and the house on april 2. gov. katie hobbs vetoed the measure on april 16. ◾ introduced: jan. 15. ◾ what the bill says: as originally filed, the measure would have required schools to post a framed copy or a poster of the ten commandments in “a prominent location” in every building. ◾ reason for the bill: “the ten commandments, while it is a religious document, is a very historical document in that it colored the way our founders wrote the constitution, wrote the declaration (of independence),” said rep. michael petersen, r north logan, the bill’s sponsor. ◾ ten commandments copy size: 16 x 20 inches. ◾ who pays for copies: schools would be required to “accept and display a donation of "the ten commandments" if a copy is not already on display.” no money was appropriated in the bill. ◾ bill status: the measure was changed in february. the requirement to post the ten commandments was dropped, but the commandments and the magna carta were added to a list of historical documents that educators have the option to use in curricula. utah gov. spencer cox signed the bill on march 20. it’s scheduled to take effect on july 1. ◾ bill passed: april 20, 2023. ◾ what did the bill say? the measure would have required texas classrooms to display a poster or framed copy of the ten commandments “in a conspicuous place” in every classroom. ◾ reason for the bill: sponsor republican state sen. phil king, said it would help restore lost religious liberties and remind students “of the importance of a fundamental foundation” of america, reported cnn. ◾ ten commandments copy size: at least 16 x 20 inches. ◾ who pays for copies? public funds or private donations. ◾ law status: the texas house did not vote on the bill before a deadline, in effect killing it. ◾ bill passed: may 16, 2023. ◾ what did bill law say? each public elementary, middle school, and secondary school in south carolina “shall display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a poster or framed copy of the ten commandments.” ◾ reason for the bill: the measure was sponsored by republican representatives thomas beach, 10th district; donald mccabe, 96th district; and joseph white, 40th district. ◾ ten commandments copy size: 16 x 20 inches. ◾ who pays for copies? public funds or private donations. ◾ what happened? the bill was referred to the house committee on education and public works where it remains. ◾ introduced: jan. 30. ◾ what does the bill say? a state senator introduced the bill to return a privately funded, 6 foot tall, 2,000 pound red granite monument bearing ten commandments to the oklahoma state capitol “as a symbol of its historic significance for oklahoman and american history.” the monument, installed in 2012, was ordered removed by the oklahoma supreme court in 2015 because it was religious in nature and violated the state constitution’s prohibition on using state funds or property to promote religion. ◾ reason for the bill: the bill’s sponsor, sen. david bullard, r durant, said oklahoma has a strong christian heritage and it’s important to honor it. bullard said a 2022 u.s. supreme court ruling favoring a high school football coach who prayed on the field after each game would help the bill become law. ◾ ten commandments copy size: not applicable. ◾ who paid for the monument: privately funded. ◾ bill status: the measure was not assigned to a committee and was declared dead on march 1. ◾ law passed: april 7, 2015. ◾ what did the law say? the measure called for “the placing of a monument to the ten commandments on the grounds of the arkansas state capitol,” with design and site selection later determined. ◾ reason for the law: the ten commandments are “an important component of the moral foundation of the laws and legal system of the united states of america and of the state of arkansas,” the bill said. ◾ ten commandments monument size: the 6 foot tall granite monument weighed three tons. ◾ who paid for it? private donations. ◾ what happened? the monument was placed at the state capitol in june 2017 but was knocked over and broken by a protester in a car a day after installation. a replacement was installed in april 2018. ◾ law status: a lawsuit challenging the monument on first amendment grounds of separation of church and state was later filed. a federal judge will decide if the case should be decided by the arkansas supreme court. ◾ monument installed: 2011. ◾ why? the city council of bloomfield, new mexico, approved installing a ten commandments monument in front of city hall in 2007. other monuments, including those for the declaration of independence, bill of rights, and gettysburg address, were installed later. ◾ reason: bloomfield city manager eric strahl said the monuments had nothing to do with religion. “it’s the ten commandments from a historical perspective,” he said. ◾ ten commandments monument size: the 5 foot high stone monument weighed 3,400 lbs. ◾ who paid for it? private donations. ◾ what happened? a lawsuit was filed against the monument on first amendment grounds. the u.s. court of appeals for the tenth circuit ruled in november 2016 that the monument violated the establishment clause of the first amendment and ordered it removed. ◾ monument status: the u.s. supreme court declined to hear the case in october 2017, in effect letting the appeals court ruling stand. ohio, 2019: a middle school in new philadelphia removed a 1920s era plaque that contained the ten commandments after objections from the freedom from religion foundation on grounds of separation of church and state in 2019. tennessee: 2004: rutherford county was sued by the aclu for displaying the ten commandments in the lobby of a county courthouse. a judge ordered their removal, but a county sheriff was allowed to keep them in his office. mississippi, 2003: a senate bill that would have allowed the ten commandments to be displayed on school district properties across the state was introduced in 2003. it later died in an education committee. alabama, 2003: a federal appeals judge ordered the removal of a 2.5 ton ten commandment monument from the state's judicial building grounds after ruling it violated the establishment clause of the first amendment. indiana, 2002: the u.s. supreme court declined to hear an appeal from gov. frank o'bannon on the proposed installation of a 7 foot monument bearing the ten commandments on statehouse grounds. that let stand an appeals court decision that prohibited the monument. contributing: barbara hoberock, the oklahoman source: usa today network reporting and research; reuters; cornell law school's legal information institute; supreme.findlaw.com

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by the associated press louisiana has become the first state to require that the ten commandments be displayed in every public school classroom under a bill signed into law by republican gov. jeff landry on wednesday. above, workers repaint a ten commandments billboard off of interstate 71 near chenoweth, ohio, on nov. 7, 2023. carolyn kaster/ap hide caption baton rouge, la.    louisiana has become the first state to require that the ten commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, the latest move from a gop dominated legislature pushing a conservative agenda under a new governor. the legislation that republican gov. jeff landry signed into law on wednesday requires a poster sized display of the ten commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state funded universities. opponents questioned the law’s constitutionality and vowed to challenge it in court. proponents said the the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. in the language of the law, the ten commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.” the posters, which will be paired with a four paragraph “context statement” describing how the ten commandments “were a prominent part of american public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025. under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. the posters would be paid for through donations. the law also “authorizes” but does not require the display of other items in k 12 public schools, including: the mayflower compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims aboard the mayflower in 1620 and is often referred to as america’s “first constitution"; the declaration of independence; and the northwest ordinance, which established a government in the northwest territory   in the present day midwest   and created a pathway for admitting new states to the union. not long after the governor signed the bill into law at our lady of fatima catholic school in lafayette on wednesday, civil rights groups and organizations that want to keep religion out of government promised to file a lawsuit challenging it. the law prevents students from getting an equal education and will keep children who have different beliefs from feeling safe at school, the american civil liberties union, americans united for separation of church and state, and the freedom from religion foundation said in a joint statement wednesday afternoon. “even among those who may believe in some version of the ten commandments, the particular text that they adhere to can differ by religious denomination or tradition. the government should not be taking sides in this theological debate,” the groups said. the controversial law, in a state ensconced in the bible belt, comes during a new era of conservative leadership in louisiana under landry, who replaced two term democratic gov. john bel edwards in january.