Louisiana Congressman Dodie Horton (R) succeeded last year. House Bill 8 As a result, all public schools in the state are now required to display “In God We Trust” in every classroom.
Houghton, clearly keen to regain ground lost during decades of secularization efforts, announced earlier this year that K-12 public schools, colleges and universities should carry the Ten Commandments on campus and in classrooms. A law has been introduced that requires posting.
In April, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted 82-19 in favor of Horton. House Bill 71. The Louisiana Senate voted 30-8 Thursday in favor of the bill, which has undergone several changes aimed at fending off various legal challenges.
All eight state Senate votes against the bill were cast by Democrats.defender report Sen. Royce Duplessis (D) was the only one to voice opposition to HB 71.
“We didn’t have to learn the Ten Commandments in school. We went to Sunday school,” Duplessis said. “If you want your kids to learn about the Ten Commandments, take them to church.”
Duplessis also suggested that the bill could expose Louisiana to lawsuits, saying, “We are spending precious state resources defending the law when we really need to teach our children to read and write. It will become.”
according to If the bill is ratified, Louisiana will become the first state to require the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, according to Nola.com.
The bill would require all public school governing authorities and each non-public school governing authority receiving state funding to post the Ten Commandments “in each building and classroom occupied by each school under its jurisdiction.” It obliges you to do so.
Although each competent authority has some discretion as to the nature of the display, at a minimum the Ten Commandments must be prominently displayed within a framed document at least 11 inches by 14 inches.
The text reads “The Ten Commandments.”[:] I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make to yourself any graven image. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy. Honor your father and mother. May your days be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Thou shalt not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Do not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his manservant, his maidservant, his livestock, or anything else that belongs to him. ”
Legal challenges are expected, state Sen. Jay Morris added. correction The original bill emphasized the U.S. Supreme Court Certification In 2005, the law stipulated that it is permissible to display the Ten Commandments on government property.
In a 5-4 decision, the court found: Van Orden vs. Perry “Simply containing religious content or promoting a message consistent with religious doctrine does not violate the Establishment Clause.”
Morris also noted that the Louisiana Legislature previously had the Secretary of State release the Ten Commandments and other historically significant documents to courthouses and other locations to address the “need to educate and inform the public about history and context.” He also noted that they were allowed to be posted in public buildings. Based on the laws of the United States and the State of Louisiana. ”
“Incorporating the Ten Commandments into the education of our children is part of our state’s and nation’s history, culture and tradition,” Morris said, noting that the Supreme Court recognized the importance of the Ten Commandments in 2019. added.
In addition to exempting private schools, the revised bill also includes a “contextual explanation” stating that the Ten Commandments “have been an important part of American public education for nearly three centuries” and “were also included in public schools.” I am also asking you to do something. Textbooks published by educator William McGuffie,” and also featured in textbooks published by Noah Webster.
In an effort to include historically significant documents in the classroom, the revised bill also provides for display of the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, and Northwest Ordinance.
First Liberty Institute Senior Councilor Lee Patterson suggested to Nola.com that the amendments would help strengthen the bill when it comes under scrutiny in court.
“In many cases, it is generally acknowledged that the Ten Commandments have historical significance, and their presentation is consistent with history and tradition, which provides the legal standard in these matters,” Patterson said. said.
ACLU is fought hard He has made it clear that he opposes leaving any trace of Biblical morality in classrooms to ensure that displays of LGBT propaganda and pride can take place in schools.
“No federal court has upheld the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, regardless of context,” ACLU Chief Counsel Heather Weaver told Nola.com. “There’s good reason for that. Public schools should not be used to indoctrinate or proselytize students.”
ACLU, ACLU of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Southern Poverty Law Center, and anti-christian The Religious Freedom Foundation issued a joint statement Friday calling the bill “unconstitutional.”
Blaze News reached out to Horton for comment but did not receive a response by deadline.
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