Louisiana Law Requiring Public Schools to Display 10 Commandments 'Unconstitutional,' Appeals Court Rules

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.

The appellate court's decision upholds a lower court's ruling in November declaring Louisiana's law "facially unconstitutional." The appellate court affirmed the district court's decision in its ruling, NBC News reported.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who stated the Ten Commandments "have historical significance as a foundation of our legal system," intends to continue pursuing the case through the courts.

"We strongly disagree with the Fifth Circuit's affirmance of an injunction preventing five Louisiana parishes from implementing HB71. We will immediately seek relief from the full Fifth Circuit and, if necessary, the United States Supreme Court," Murrill wrote in a statement obtained by NBC News.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), one of the organizations supporting the plaintiffs alongside the ACLU of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Freedom from Religion Foundation and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, celebrated the court's decision.

"This is a resounding victory for the separation of church and state and public education," Heather L. Weaver, senior staff attorney for the ACLU's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said in a statement. "With today's ruling, the Fifth Circuit has held Louisiana accountable to a core constitutional promise: Public schools are not Sunday schools, and they must welcome all students, regardless of faith."

The case now has the potential to reach the Supreme Court, which currently holds a 6–3 conservative majority.