Louisiana’s plan to force the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms took shape in a law known as “H.B. 71.” Passed by the Louisiana legislature, it mandates that an approved version of the Ten Commandments should be posted in every public school classroom in the state.

Nine Louisiana families — from religious and nonreligious traditions — challenged it in a case known as Roake v. Brumley, saying the law violates their religious freedom and the separation of church and state as protected by the First Amendment.

BJC joined with other religious groups to defend the families, filing a friend-of-the-court brief in Roake v. Brumley at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It explains how Louisiana’s law creates unavoidable state-sponsored religious indoctrination, selecting a preferred version of the Ten Commandments that aligns only with certain faiths and denominations. There is a stark difference between state-sponsored religious indoctrination and teaching about religion.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals originally agreed with the families and BJC’s brief, first issuing a unanimous decision June 20 that stopped the law from taking effect. However, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals re-heard the case en banc. In a decision released Feb. 20, 2026, the court said it was premature to determine the constitutionality since the law had not yet been implemented.

Louisiana is not the only state testing these waters: Texas and Arkansas both passed laws in 2025 that require the posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, and both are being challenged in court. It raises issues that will have to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.