Louisiana to Require Ten Commandments' Display in Public Classrooms
Louisiana Mandatesto Require Ten Commandments' Display in Public Classrooms
The Facts
Louisiana Wednesday became the first US state to make the Ten Commandments' display mandatory in public school classrooms amid calls to challenge the law in court.
Louisiana Wednesday became the first US state to make the Ten Commandments' display mandatory in public classrooms amid calls to challenge the law in court.
The Spin
This law is a significant move to reinforce America's ethical foundations and cultural heritage. Historically, the Ten Commandments have shaped American laws and morality, and displaying them acknowledges this legacy. Critics' arguments on church-state separation are moot as the Constitution doesn't explicitly mandate such separation. Louisiana's initiative reflects and strengthens a broader trend of emphasizing the US' foundational educational values.
TheThis legislation undermines the separation of church and state by misrepresenting a sacred religious text as a secular historical document. It disregards constitutional protections and, while proponents argue it acknowledges the commandments' influence on Western legal principles, the law mostly promotes a specific religious doctrine. The mandatory display of the Protestant version of the commandments further exacerbates the issue.
