Louisiana May Require Display Of 10 Commandments In Schools

Louisiana is working to become the first state to require all publicly funded schools, colleges, and universities to display the Ten Commandments. After being altered by the Senate, the bill returns to the House and is expected to pass.

House Bill

HB 71 was introduced by Rep. Dodie Horton in February and passed the Louisiana House in April by a vote of 82 to 19. The bill allows the governing authorities to determine the nature of the display. However, it does specify the minimum size for the display: 11X14.

Senate

While the Senate did pass the House bill, it added an amendment that allowed schools to display other historical documents, such as the Mayflower Compact and the Declaration of Independence. Because of the amendment, the bill returns to the House for approval.

Pros And Cons

The Senate debates argued that this display does not unconstitutionally establish a religion. In times past, they were displayed in all schools. Opposing the bill, Senator Duplessis  exclaimed,

I didn’t have to learn the Ten Commandments in school. You want your kids to learn about the Ten Commandments? Take them to church ^[1].

While the Ten Commandments would not necessarily be taught as a subject in school, the students would be able to read them each day. The bill is expected to pass the House, which will then pass it on to the governor. Last year, Louisiana passed a law requiring public schools to display the national motto “In God We Trust” in all classrooms.