Lawsuit Challenges Louisiana’s Ten Commandments Display Law On August 16, 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and its members, challenging the state law requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. The lawsuit alleges that Act 753, passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2022, violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing or favoring any particular religion or belief system. The plaintiffs argue that the law’s requirement to display the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms is an endorsement of a specific religious text and message by the state. They contend that the law creates a coercive environment for students and staff, forcing them to confront potentially conflicting religious views. The lawsuit also points to the fact that the Ten Commandments are a Christian religious text, and their display in public schools could alienate and marginalize students from other faith traditions or those who do not hold any religious beliefs. The defendants, the BESE members, maintain that the law is constitutional and does not violate the Establishment Clause. They argue that the Ten Commandments are a historical and cultural document that has been widely recognized throughout history. The lawsuit is now being heard by the federal court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction to block the law while the case is pending is scheduled for September 20, 2023. The outcome of this lawsuit will have significant implications for the separation of church and state in Louisiana and potentially other states considering similar legislation.A lawsuit has been filed against a Louisiana law that requires the posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms in public schools. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of several parents and students, argues that the law violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion or favoring one religion over another. The law, which was passed in 2015, requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments in a “conspicuous place” in each classroom. The law also prohibits teachers from removing or obscuring the display. The ACLU argues that the law sends a message that the Ten Commandments are favored by the government and that this endorsement of religion violates the Establishment Clause. The lawsuit also argues that the law has a coercive effect on students, who may feel that they are being pressured to adopt a particular religious belief. The lawsuit is seeking an injunction to block the law from being enforced and a declaration that the law is unconstitutional. The Louisiana Attorney General’s office has not yet commented on the lawsuit.