5th Circuit Reconsiders Louisiana Law Mandating Ten Commandments Display in Classrooms

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to rehear a case challenging Louisiana's law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school and university classrooms, vacating a prior unanimous ruling that declared the law unconstitutional. The law, passed in 2024 and blocked by a lower court, faced opposition from nine families representing diverse religious and non-religious beliefs who argued it violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. The full 5th Circuit, known for its conservative majority, will rehear the case "en banc," with Louisiana's Attorney General Liz Murrill expressing readiness to defend the law and potentially appeal to the Supreme Court. Opponents, including the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, maintain confidence that religious freedom principles will prevail. The case, closely watched for its implications on church-state separation, remains under a district court injunction preventing enforcement of the law while the appeals process continues. This legal battle reflects broader tensions between conservative efforts to promote religious expression in public institutions and constitutional protections against government endorsement of religion.