Appeals Court Says Louisiana Violated Constitution by Requiring Schools to Display Ten Commandments

The court ruled that the bill mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in each classroom violated the First Amendment.

A copy of the Ten Commandments is posted along with other historical documents in a hallway of the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta on June 20, 2024. John Bazemore/AP

A federal appeals court said on June 20 that Louisiana violated the Constitution by requiring public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.

The law, known as House Bill 71, mandated that public schools in the state display a framed document or poster with the Ten Commandments in each classroom no later than Jan. 1, 2025. A group of parents sued, alleging violations of the First Amendment.