An outright attack on freedom of religion has begun in Louisiana. On June 19, 2024, a
bill was signed into law
making it mandatory to display the Ten Commandments in every elementary, middle, and high school classroom, and even public colleges.This is wildly unconstitutional.Republican lawmakers claim that the Ten Commandments are a historical text tied to the United States' creation
. But in reality, this law is a slap in the face of America's true founding principles -- liberty, and specifically freedom of religion.This is religious tyranny, plain and simple.Sign the petition demanding that Louisiana's Legislature repeal this law immediately!Imagine being a child who is a member of a religion that does not involve the Ten Commandments, or maybe who isn't religious at all. Children need to feel accepted, supported, and included in order to learn --
and mandating narrow religious texts is bound to make many children feel alienated. Imagine being a teacher whose passion and purpose is educating our future generations, but you do not practice the religions that include the Ten Commandments.
Forcing educators to display non-educational, religious material is a total affront to their profession and freedom.Beyond putting children and teachers at the risk of a worse educational environment, passing a law mandating the display of religious texts is entirely unconstitutional.
The very First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," which can also be applied to the state Congress and the passage of laws at that level. With this law, Louisiana's Congress and governor have entirely abused their power. This dystopian law cannot be allowed to stand. Many experts believe that this ludicrous law was passed with the actual goal of being contested so that it could make its way to the Supreme Court, a Trump-packed group of majority conservatives who may actually uphold this overreach of authority.
We absolutely cannot let it get to that point; our very freedoms depend on it.Sign the petition pleading with the Louisiana Legislature to see reason and pass a law repealing this authoritarian mandate to force religion into schools!