Civil rights groups file lawsuit over Louisiana Ten Commandments law

BY APRIL RUBIN

Multi-faith and civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit on Monday over recent Louisiana legislation mandating public schools display the Ten Commandments.

Why it matters: Plaintiffs, who said the law "unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance," posed an expected challenge to the only state with such a requirement.

"No federal court has upheld any display of the Ten Commandments by a public school," the lawsuit said.

State of play: Nine Louisiana families of different faiths with children in public schools filed the lawsuit in federal court, with the support of the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations.

The plaintiffs are Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, and non-religious.

What they're saying: "Public schools are not Sunday schools," Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, said in a statement.

"We must protect the individual right of students and families to choose their own faith or no faith at all."

Catch up quick: The law, signed by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday, requires a Protestant translation of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms within schools that require public funding, including colleges and universities.

Former President Trump, campaigning for the November election, endorsed the move.

"This may be, in fact, the first major step in the revival of religion, which is desperately needed, in our country," he said on Truth Social.