• A U.S. appeals court cleared the way for a Louisiana law requiring poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
• The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a block on the law, stating it was premature to determine its constitutionality.
• Critics argue the law violates the separation of church and state, while supporters claim it affirms historical values.
• Similar laws are being challenged in states like Arkansas and Texas.
• Legal experts suggest the case may eventually reach the Supreme Court.

A federal appeals court has approved a Louisiana law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, enabling the measure to take effect after a significant vote by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift an earlier injunction. The court ruled 12-6 that it is premature to assess the constitutional implications of the law due to unresolved details regarding its implementation, particularly how prominently the religious text will be displayed, whether educators will reference it in their teaching, and if other founding documents like the Declaration of Independence will also be exhibited alongside it, according to CBS News and NPR.

The ruling has sparked political reactions, with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry welcoming the decision, stating that it reflects a return to "common sense." Conversely, critics, including the ACLU of Louisiana and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, emphasize that the law endorses religion in public schools, potentially violating the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. They argue that families may have to litigate against each school district's displays individually, as noted by India Times and NPR.

In the court's majority opinion, judges expressed that without clear implementation details, they cannot effectively assess whether the law constitutes a government endorsement of religion. The decision followed the court's choice to review the case after an earlier panel deemed the law unconstitutional. The district's legal foundations are further complicated by similar laws in states such as Arkansas and Texas, which have also faced legal scrutiny, according to CBS News and India Times.

Legal precedents from the U.S. Supreme Court in the past have ruled against similar laws, including a 1980 ruling that struck down a Kentucky law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments due to a lack of secular purpose. In a noteworthy distinction, the court upheld a Ten Commandments monument on the Texas Capitol grounds in 2005, emphasizing the importance of historical context. Given such precedents, legal experts believe the Louisiana case might be destined for the Supreme Court, reinforcing the ongoing national debate about the intersection of religion and public education, according to NPR and India Times.