Louisiana appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court after a federal judge temporarily blocked Louisiana’s new law requiring the state’s public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments by Jan. 1.

Enacted June 19, House Bill 71 requires the Ten Commandments display to contain certain font and document size requirements as well as a statement about the historic background of the commandments within American public education. The law allows schools to accept donated displays and private donations rather than use school funds. Signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, the bill acknowledges the Ten Commandments’ role in shaping American history because it “reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government” and “is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition.”

After the law was passed, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on behalf of nine families, arguing the law violates the First Amendment by relying on an old Supreme Court case, Stone v. Graham, which struck the Ten Commandments from a public classroom.

On Nov. 12, Judge John W. DeGravelles ruled in agreement with the ACLU, temporarily stalling HB 71.  

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Solicitor General Ben Aguiñaga have defended HB 71 by filing an emergency appeal to the 5th Circuit. The appeal argues“there are quite literally innumerable ways to create an HB 71 display in a constitutionally compliant manner.” The appeal argues the lawsuit is premature because the law has not been practiced yet. 

David Hacker, vice president of litigation and senior counsel for First Liberty Institute, a Christian legal organization, stands with Murrill and Aguiñaga.

“We are hopeful that the 5th Circuit will reverse the lower court and uphold Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law,” Hacker said in a press release. “Stone v. Graham is a relic of a previous time when the Lemon test censored religion from public life and is no longer good law. Placing this historic document on schoolhouse walls is a great way to remind students of the foundations of American and Louisiana law and fits perfectly in the history and tradition of America. We are grateful to Attorney General Murrill for fighting for this law.”

Photo Above: Ten Commandments display at the Georgia State Capitol

Photo: AP