Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is in favor Louisianaās new law forcing public schools to post the Ten Commandments
He added he believes the controversial law will survive legal challenges it faces, per The Hill.
āIām supportive of it, yeah,ā Johnson said to reporters Wednesday. āAnd I think it should pass court muster. I think thereās a number of states trying to look to do the same thing, and I donāt think itās offensive in any way. I think itās a positive thing.ā
The law mandate every public school classroom in elementary and high schools to display the Ten Commandments on easily readable posters. They must do this starting in 2025.
The posters need to include three paragraphs about the religious textās influential role in American history, per the outlet.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, signed the bill last week.
The measure sailed through Louisianaās GOP-controlled Legislature ā where Johnson himself worked.
Johnson spoke about why the legislators would pass the law.
āThe intent behind it is that theyāre trying to acknowledge our history and tradition in the country. I mean, obviously, the Ten Commandments have a huge impact, and theyāre very important in the development of our ā well, of all of Western civilization, but certainly of our country. And I think thatās what they had in mind,ā Johnson said.
āWhat the Louisiana Legislature is trying to do ā those are my old colleagues down there, I know what theyāre up to ā theyāre trying to reemphasize the importance of that foundational part of our country, and that should be permissible. Itās not an establishment of religion. Itās not. Theyāre not trying to enforce any particular religious code. Theyāre just saying this is part of the history and tradition.ā
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), andother civil liberties groups, wasted no time filing lawsuits on behalf of families with different religious backgrounds. The lawsuits argue the new law violates their First Amendment rights.
Johnson, however, said he expects the ACLU to lose the fight.
āI think this Court is open to effectively affirming what the court did in the early ā80s, with Marsh v. Chambers and other cases like that. So weāll see how it turns out. But yeah, Iām supportive of it,ā Johnson said.
Former President Donald Trumpalso supports the mandate.
āI LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER,ā Trump wroteon his online platform Truth Social. āREAD IT ā HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG??? THIS MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST MAJOR STEP IN THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED, IN OUR COUNTRY.ā
