A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Louisiana state law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms is unconstitutional.
Every public classroom in the state, from elementary schools to colleges, would have been required to display the Ten Commandments starting in January 2025 under a law signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on June 19.
In Tuesday’s decision, U.S. District Judge John deGravelles said the law conflicted with U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and violated the religious rights of people who opposed the displays, Reuters reported.
The law, the first such legislation in the nation, was challenged by parents and several groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union. They said the measure was unconstitutional and filed a lawsuit against it.
Judge deGravelles was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama. Louisiana could appeal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, widely considered to be among the most conservative federal appeals courts, Reuters said.