Ten Commandments court decision won’t apply to all Louisiana school districts: 5th Circuit

A federal judge’s order that blocks a Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments displays to go up in classrooms doesn’t apply to the school districts that aren’t defending it, a U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel has ruled.

Attorney General Liz Murrill, who is defending the law that the Legislature and Gov. Jeff Landry approved earlier this year, filed an appeal after U.S. District Judge John DeGravelles issued an order Tuesday that stopped the law from going into effect Jan. 1. In his 177-page ruling, the judge said the state wasn’t likely to win the case.

In 2-1 ruling, a 5th Circuit panel agreed with Murrill that DeGravelles’ decision should apply to Louisiana’s other 68 public school districts. Judges Kurt Engelhardt, a federal court nominee of former President Donald Trump, and Jerry Smith, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan, ruled in Murrill’s favor. Judge James Graves, a court pick of former President Barack Obama, wanted to deny the stay.

DeGravelles, who is also an Obama appointee to the federal court, had said in his ruling that all 72 school districts should be notified of his ruling.

On social media Friday, Murrill celebrated the appellate court’s granting her motion. She had argued DeGravelles ruling should only apply to the five school districts who are defendants in the lawsuit nine plaintiff parents have filed, arguing that placing the Ten Commandments in classrooms violates the U.S. Constitution.

“I look forward to immediately working with all of our school boards who are not involved in this lawsuit to implement the law soon!” Murrill posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The parish public school districts named as defendants in the case are East Baton Rouge, Livingston, Orleans, St. Tammany and Vernon. Education Superintendent Cade Brumley and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education members are also defendants.

Two of the groups representing plaintiffs in the cast – the ACLU of Louisiana and Americans United for Separation of Church and State – consider the 5th Circuit order “a minor procedural issue,” according to the Associated Press.

The new law requires 11-by-14-inch displays along with an accompanying “context statement” that explains the commandments’ role in education. It applies to any school that accepts state money, including colleges and universities. The schools are not compelled to spend money on the posters though they can accept donated materials.

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