Appeals court rejects request to lift block on Louisiana Ten Commandments law

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected Louisiana's request to lift a hold on its Ten Commandments law, after a lower court ruled last week that the mandate was unconstitutional.

Louisiana in June became the first state to pass a law that would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in "large, easily readable font" in every classroom. 

Supporters of the law have pointed to the text's influence on United States history as a reason to allow the law, but opponents claimed it infringes on the First Amendment and parents' control in the religious upbringing of their children.

The court did not give a reason for its rejection, but U.S. District Judge John deGravelles wrote in his ruling last week that the law was not "neutral" toward religion as supporters tried to argue, and agreed parental rights would be infringed if the law took effect.

“Since the law is not neutral, it easily fails strict scrutiny analysis," deGravelles wrote, per The Hill. "Even assuming AG Defendants had established a compelling interest (e.g., for education or history), there are any number of ways that they could advance an alleged interest in educating students about the Ten Commandments that would be less burdensome on the First Amendment than the one required by H.B. 71." 

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is still attempting to appeal the lower court's decision to block the law, but the rejection means that the state is not likely to post the Ten Commandments in public schools by January 1.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.