Federal Judge Blocks Louisiana's Ten Commandments Classroom Law, Calling It Unconstitutional

Federal Judge Blocks Louisiana's Ten Commandments Classroom Law, Calling It Unconstitutional

A federal judge in Louisiana has struck down a state law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, ruling that the mandate violates the First Amendment's prohibition on government establishment of religion — a decision that lands as a closely watched test of how far states can go in injecting religious texts into public education.

U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles issued the ruling in Roake v. Brumley, a challenge brought by parents of public school children of different faiths and none. The law, signed by Gov. Jeff Landry in 2024, required a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in "large, easily readable font" in every classroom from kindergarten through college in schools receiving state funding. The plaintiffs argued the displays amounted to state endorsement of a particular religious tradition, while the state contended the Commandments serve a secular historical purpose.

In his opinion, deGravelles wrote that the law "substantially exceeds" the bounds the Supreme Court set in Stone v. Graham, the 1980 decision striking down a similar Kentucky statute, and that the required displays serve no legitimate secular purpose. He noted that the mandated text — a specific Protestant translation — was chosen for its religious content, not its historical value. The state has signaled it will appeal to the Fifth Circuit.

The decision is the latest front in a broader push by several states to test the boundaries of Kennedy v. Bremerton, the 2022 ruling that expanded protections for religious expression in public life. Louisiana's law was among the first of its kind to take effect after that decision, making this ruling an early benchmark for similar statutes in other states.

Primary sources: Roake v. Brumley docket, CourtListener; Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39 (1980)