BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana’s 2020 Teacher of the Year has initiated legal action against the state over a recently enacted law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom by January 1.
This lawsuit marks the second challenge to the law, which was passed in June. A previous suit was filed shortly thereafter in Baton Rouge, where a judge has indicated intentions to rule on a motion to block the law by November 15.
The latest complaint, filed in New Orleans on September 23 by Christopher Dier, a history teacher at Ben Franklin High School, asserts that he will not display the Ten Commandments in his classroom. He has voiced concerns about the law, which he believes infringes upon the First Amendment rights that prohibit governmental establishment of religion and protect religious freedom.
U.S. District Judge Greg Guidry is scheduled to consult with attorneys over the case to establish a timeline, potentially leading to a trial date for Dier’s lawsuit. Defendants include the governor, who approved the law, as well as the attorney general, the superintendent of education, and members of the state education board.
Dier’s lawsuit contends that the law, known as HB71, imposes a religious message on students and ultimately coerces educators to partake in its enforcement. The lawsuit also highlights that the specified version of the Ten Commandments aligns more closely with Protestant beliefs, potentially alienating non-Christian students.
“I don’t believe in doing something that is unconstitutional and harmful to students,” Dier stated previously.
State officials argue that HB71 has historical significance in U.S. law and assert that Dier has not demonstrated any immediate harm, which is necessary for the lawsuit to proceed. They maintain that his concerns about potential future displays lack specificity, making it difficult to substantiate the claims.
Meanwhile, separate proceedings are ongoing in Baton Rouge, where a district judge is reviewing motions from several parents seeking to block the enforcement of the law, which applies to all K-12 public schools and state-funded university classrooms. The law specifies that the Ten Commandments must be prominently displayed on a poster or framed document at least 11 by 14 inches, accompanied by a four-paragraph explanation.
