A federal appeals court has blocked Louisiana’s law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, marking a significant setback for the GOP-led effort to bring religious values back into public education.
The ruling, handed down Friday by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, upholds an earlier injunction and prevents the law from taking effect in the upcoming school year as legal battles continue.
The statute, which would have applied to all public schools from kindergarten through state-funded universities, mandated posting a large-format version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
These posters were to measure at least 11 by 14 inches and be displayed prominently, according to Townhall.
Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill, both Republicans, championed the law as an important effort to reaffirm the moral foundation that they say underpins America’s legal system and culture.
They argued that the commandments provide critical guidance for students on right and wrong.
Opposition quickly mounted from civil liberties groups, who filed suit soon after the law’s passage.
These groups claimed the law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which forbids government endorsement of any particular religion.
In its decision, the appeals court