rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/protect-separation-of-church-and-state?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-protect-separation-of-church-and-state' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> National Campaign for Justice https://actionnetwork.org/groups/just-strategy https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg The headline says it all. Louisiana has crossed a dangerous line by mandating every public classroom in the state display the Ten Commandments and making it the first state to enforce one religious doctrine on students statewide. This blatant violation of the separation of church and state threatens the very foundation of our democracy and the freedom of and from religion in the first amendment of the Constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has already vowed to sue to stop this unconstitutional mandate, but they cannot do it alone. The Department of Education (DOE) must either join or lead the fight and demand a court injunction to halt the implementation of this law while the legal battle is fought in court. Let’s be clear, this is not an isolated incident. If Louisiana’s law is allowed to stand, it will set a dangerous precedent, emboldening other states to pass their religious mandates. Texas is expected to be next. If we don’t stop them now, they will force one religion over all others into every school nationwide. The Constitution's First Amendment prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” This principle ensures that public schools remain secular, inclusive spaces where students of all backgrounds can learn without religious coercion. The Ten Commandments are inherently religious texts, and mandating their display in classrooms is an undeniable endorsement of a specific religious doctrine. This violates the rights of every student who does not share these beliefs, fostering an environment of exclusion and discrimination. The thin line that separates church from state is already under constant attack, and this law would tear it down completely. Public schools should be safe havens of knowledge and growth, not battlegrounds for religious doctrine. Every student, regardless of their faith or lack thereof, deserves an education free from religious imposition. The mandatory display of the Ten Commandments alienates non-Christian students, violating their right to an inclusive and unbiased education. The Department of Education must draw a line in the sand and fight back against this unconstitutional law with every tool at their disposal. Click ‘START WRITING’ to sign and send a direct message to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and demand the Education Department sue Louisiana and stop the mandatory placement of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms now. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/protect-separation-of-church-and-state