Attorneys general from 18 states filed documents on Wednesday supporting Louisiana’s law that mandates public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced that 17 other states had joined the effort, voicing their support for the law.
A federal judge in Baton Rouge had previously ruled the law unconstitutional, citing its overtly religious nature. U.S. District Judge John deGravelles declared the law “unconstitutional on its face.” The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to overturn the decision ahead of a scheduled hearing on January 23.
Coleman, aligning with Louisiana’s argument, emphasized the Ten Commandments’ historical significance in shaping American law and government. He stated that the influence of the commandments on U.S. history is undeniable, highlighting their connection to the nation’s founding documents.
The states supporting the filing include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. These states collectively argue that the display serves a legitimate purpose in reflecting the nation’s legal history.
In 1980, a similar Kentucky law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court for lacking a secular purpose. The version of the Ten Commandments in the Louisiana law closely mirrors the Protestant interpretation, without attributing it to any specific translation.
