A Louisiana legislation that required the screen of the Ten Commandments in all common school classrooms was ruled out by US district judge John deGravelles on Tuesday, deeming it unlawful and “discriminatory and coercive.”
The Ten Laws, also known as the Decalogue, are spiritual and moral concepts presented in the Hebrew Bible as a contract from God to Moses.
Judge deGravelles, appointed by former President Barack Obama, said in his decision that the laws violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. He cited a 1980 Supreme Court decision that struck down a similar Kentucky rules as illegal.
” The issue is whether, as a matter of law, there is any constitutional way to display the Ten Commandments in accordance with]Louisiana’s law ]”, deGravelles explained. ” In brief, the court finds that there is not”.
He claimed that the Louisiana legislation may put too much pressure on students to adhere to the state’s desired religious teachings.
” Each of the plaintiffs ‘ small children did, in every realistic impression, get a’ captive audience ‘ according to Louisiana’s compulsory attendance policy”, Judge deGravelles wrote.
The prosecutor suggested that the condition look into another, less difficult ways to teach the Ten Commandments to students. He noted that” there are numerous ways to achieve this alleged curiosity without violating legal right.”
The law, which was passed earlier this year and set to go into effect on January 1, required schools to prominently show framed variations of the Ten Commandments measuring at least 11 by 14 inches. Louisiana became the first position to do so after more than 40 times.
Nine families with children from various denominations and non-religious backgrounds attended the legal issue. Soon after Governor Jeff Landry signed the law, the people filed a lawsuit to stop it.
” HB 71 is a strong copyright on our spiritual freedom”, said Darcy Roake, a claimant and Unitarian Universalist secretary, in a statement.
DeGravelles added that the law basically left students with no other option but to read the spiritual texts. ” The legislation is oppressive to individuals, and, for all practical purposes, they never opt out of viewing the Ten Commandments when displayed in every class, every day, throughout their training”, he wrote.
Attorney General of Louisiana, Liz Murrill, filed an official charm to the 5th US circuit court of appeals in New Orleans after disputing the decision.
