Judge rules Louisiana law ordering schools to display Ten Commandments violates First Amendment

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Louisiana law that would have required public schools statewide to display the Ten Commandments in their classrooms by Jan. 1. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles of Baton Rouge, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, ruled Tuesday that the law violates the free exercise and establishment clauses of the First Amendment.

The ruling found the Louisiana law was “unconstitutional on its face and in every application,” prohibited attorneys for defendants in this case from enforcing the mandate and required them to notify public schools of the change. Tuesday’s came alongside a preliminary injunction issued by the judge in a lawsuit brought by parents of a group of Louisiana public school students.

This is a developing story that will be updated with more information.