The John Minor Wisdom U.S. Fifth Court of Appeals building in New Orleans on Oct. 3, 2017 (Jolie McCullough/The Texas Tribune) NEW ORLEANS – Three judges on the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals considered arguments Thursday over a state law that requires displays of the Ten Commandments in every Louisiana public school classroom. A group of nine parents, each on behalf of their children, sued to block the law shortly after the Louisiana Legislature and Gov. Jeff Landry approved it last spring. A lower court ruled in November the requirement violates the First Amendment’s prohibition against establishing a state-approved religion. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill appealed that ruling, which the 5th Circuit decided only applied to the five school districts that are among the defendants in the case. For every other district, the law went into effect at the start of this month. The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State are also representing the plaintiffs in the case. Youngwood’s law firm, Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett, is providing its services to the parents at no cost. In addition to the five school districts, Louisiana Education Superintendent Cade Brumley and members of the […]

By : Markus McDowell