This is Why Elections are Important

Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom, the latest move from a GOP-dominated Legislature pushing a conservative agenda under a new governor.  The legislation that Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law on Wednesday requires a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities.

Opponents questioned the law’s constitutionality and vowed to challenge it in court. Proponents have claimed the the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance. In the language of the law, the Ten Commandments are “foundational documents of our state and national government.”  The posters, which will be paired with a four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries,” must be in place in classrooms by the start of 2025.  Under the law, state funds will not be used to implement the mandate. The posters would be paid for through donations.  Governor Jeff Landry said in a speech last weekend that he "can’t wait to be sued.”  It is almost a certainty that the Louisiana GOP was emboldened by the Catholic cabal that took over the Supreme Court under Trump.

The controversial law comes during a new era of conservative leadership in Louisiana under Landry, who replaced two-term Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in January. The GOP holds a super majority in the Legislature, and Republicans hold every statewide elected position, paving the way for lawmakers to push through a conservative agenda.  Similar bills requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms have been proposed in other states including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah. However, with threats of legal battles over the constitutionality of such measures, no state besides Louisiana has succeeded in making the bills law. 

Opponents of the law condemned it as an unconstitutional violation of the separation of church and state. “It is meant to impose Christianity on all students in Louisiana’s public schools, even if they belong to a minority religion or no religion at all,” wrote Azhar Majeed, Director of the Center for Inquiry, a nonprofit that opposes religious influences on public policy.  Louisiana religious leaders also opposed the mandate. More than 100 Christian pastors and churchgoers in Louisiana signed a petition last month urging Landry to veto the bill. They argued that families and faith groups should control religious education — not the government.

There's obviously nothing that can be said about the ignorance of the Louisiana GOP.  I shudder to think what is in store for this country if this law isn't struck down by every court at the federal level.