Louisiana
Guest column: Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law is in line with the constitution and history
Last year, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill that requires public schools to post the Ten Commandments. Other states are considering similar laws.
Cue the secular outrage. The ACLU was joined by several leftist organizations in a lawsuit challenging the law nearly before the ink from the governor’s signature had time to dry.
The new law, according to them, threatens the very foundation of our republic — a republic whose law, of course, is built on concepts found in the Ten Commandments. Recently, a federal judge, appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, agreed, stopping the law from being implemented. Now, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, considered by many to be the most conservative appeals court, will review that decision in oral arguments Thursday.
Liz Murrill, Louisiana’s attorney general, who supports the law, said this debate is “far from over.” She’s right about that.
Admittedly, these are tough days for those who for decades successfully campaigned to remove any vestiges of religious texts inscribed in public settings and which made up the very fabric of our nation.
Kelly Shackelford
For much of that time, they had the U.S. Supreme Court on their side with its religiously hostile Lemon test. That test made it easy for courts to sandblast religious inscriptions, tear down monuments and label anything that secularists deemed offensive as the “establishment of religion.”
But in its 2022 decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the Supreme Court once and for all concluded that Lemon should be scrapped. The justices made clear, “This Court long ago abandoned Lemon and its endorsement test offshoot. … In place of Lemon and the endorsement test, this Court has instructed that the Establishment Clause must be interpreted by reference to historical practices and understandings.”
The Kennedy decision came after the court, in 2019, in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, determined that a cross-shaped 100-year-old World War I memorial on public land was perfectly constitutional.
In that landmark ruling, Justice Samuel Alito warned, “A government that roams the land, tearing down monuments with religious symbolism and scrubbing away any reference to the divine, will strike many as aggressively hostile to religion.”
Those decisions changed the legal framework in America. For over half a century, courts and government officials could knee-jerk respond to any public display of religion with a quick cancel. Not anymore. The presumption now is that a religious display is constitutional.
But some may wonder, what about inside schools? Are public displays referencing religion in the classroom constitutional?
The answer is a resounding yes. Justice Anthony Kennedy changed how the courts must look at religious displays and expression in the light of history. Eliminating Lemon makes Stone v. Graham, a 5-4 decision that banished Ten Commandments from schools and relied on Lemon, a relic of a previous time when religion was censored from public life.
Our history unmistakably teaches us that the Ten Commandments were widely displayed in schools for the first century of our nation. And, of course, under the secularists’ legal regime, public schools across the nation would need to cancel all field trips to our nation’s capital. After all, a simple walking tour of the magnificent buildings that proudly display depictions of the Ten Commandments are all around Washington, D.C., including inside the U.S. Supreme Court.
Now, those despising the presence of any “religiously expressive” display bear the burden of proof. They must demonstrate precisely how the “monument, symbol, or practice” violates the First Amendment. In light of the court’s “strong presumption of constitutionality” for displays in keeping with the history and tradition of our country, that will be almost impossible.
Which brings us to Louisiana.
The Pelican State has rightly recognized the history and tradition of the Ten Commandments in the state. Putting this historic document on schoolhouse walls is a great way to remind students of the foundations of American and Louisiana law.
We applaud Louisiana for being the first, but by no means the last, state to take this bold step for religious liberty.
Louisiana
First Alert Forecast: Coldest Night of Season in Southwest Louisiana — Here’s What You Need to Know
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – After enjoying mild weather in the 70s just yesterday, southwest Louisiana is bracing for the coldest night of the season so far, with temperatures expected to plunge well below freezing overnight and wind chills dipping into the teens.
What to Expect Tonight
Temperatures will vary depending on where you live in southwest Louisiana:
Inland areas north of I-10: Temperatures will drop below 32 degrees for 8 to 12 hours, with wind chills potentially reaching the upper teens.
Along I-10: Freezing conditions expected for 5 to 8 hours.
Coastal areas: Temperatures will dip below freezing for 1 to 2 hours, with the least severe impacts.
Monday morning will be brutally cold to start, but temperatures will gradually warm into the low 50s by afternoon as the sun rises.
Protect Your Pipes
The most immediate concern for homeowners is frozen water pipes. Here’s what you need to know:
If you’ve never had pipe problems before: You likely won’t experience issues tonight. Pipes typically only freeze when temperatures stay below 25 degrees for several hours.
If you’ve had problems in the past: Take precautions now. Cover exposed pipes or leave a faucet dripping slowly. Once temperatures rise above freezing, stop dripping the faucet to avoid wasting water.
Use common sense and assess your home’s vulnerable areas. Every situation is different.
Other Safety Reminders
- Outdoor pets: Bring them inside if possible, or ensure they have adequate shelter and unfrozen water.
- Check on neighbors and friends: Make sure elderly relatives and those living alone are staying warm and safe.
- Test your smoke detector: Cold weather increases the use of heating sources — make sure your smoke detector is working properly.
- Dress in layers: If you’ll be outside, bundle up. Wind chills will make it feel significantly colder than the actual temperature.
Looking Ahead
The good news? This cold snap won’t last long. Southerly winds should return as early as Tuesday afternoon, gradually warming temperatures back toward normal.
However, Monday night into Tuesday morning will bring widespread frost with calm winds and temperatures in the 30s.
Another cold front is expected to move through Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing scattered showers. This system won’t be as severe as today’s front, but temperatures will drop slightly by week’s end.
A third cold front may arrive Sunday with scattered showers and possibly a few thunderstorms, though impacts appear minimal.
By Thursday and Friday, temperatures will rebound into the 70s before cooling slightly over the weekend.
Copyright 2025 KPLC. All rights reserved.
LSU women’s basketball started slow but recovered Saturday against Louisiana Tech, head coach Kim Mulkey’s alma mater. Inside New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center, the No. 5 Tigers won 87-61 to improve to 11-0.
Mikaylah Williams led the team with 19 points while Flau’Jae Johnson notched her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kate Koval and MiLaysia Fulwiley finished with 19 and 10 points, respectively. Jada Richard dished out a game-high eight assists.
Grace Knox, in the first start of her college career, scored four points as part of a 6-0 opening run for LSU, but three three-pointers put Louisiana Tech up with 7:19 on the clock. Back-and-forth play ensued, but the Lady Techsters led by two at the end of the first quarter. They hung around on the glass as well, limiting the Tigers to one and done most times.
LSU woke up in the second quarter and began imposing its physicality. Louisiana Tech didn’t score until the 5:34 mark and racked up fouls, including two on sharp-shooter Paris Bradley. The Tigers were in the bonus for over half of the second quarter but experienced a near-three-minute scoring drought, letting the Lady Techsters hang around. LSU led by nine points heading into the locker room. Both teams shot under 40% in the opening 20 minutes.
Louisiana Tech kept the game within reach for much of the third quarter but it eventually got away. LSU ended the frame on a 9-0 run and built a 20-point lead for good a minute into the fourth. Turnovers and mental mistakes piled up for the Lady Techsters, which gave the Tigers more chances to push the pace of play. The Tigers went on a 14-2 run over four minutes when substitutes started rolling in. They shot 58.6% in the second half.
LSU lacked success in transition
LSU relies on getting into track meets with opponents quickly to build a comfortable cushion. That didn’t happen Saturday as Louisiana Tech hit its shots to open the game. Even when the Lady Techsters missed, they were comfortable going one-and-done most times as they prioritized getting numbers back to defend. That’s how they kept the score close in the early goings.
In the first half, LSU scored just six points in transition and 11 points off turnovers. The Tigers stepped up on the defensive end in the second half. Even though they didn’t produce the fast break opportunities they’re used to, they were more patient on the offensive end and knocked down their open shots.
Koval, Joyner didn’t get enough touches
As in most of its nonconference games, LSU possesses a substantial size advantage inside. That was the case Saturday but the purple and gold struggled to get the ball inside to Koval and Joyner. When the pair had touches, they often either finished, kicked out for an open shot, or drew a foul. They combined for 21 points on 21 shots from the field and 10 free-throw attempts. LSU scored just 36 points in the paint over the entire game.
Likely driven by Mulkey’s comments at the break. LSU made a concerted effort to pounce on the ball inside. Koval scored over half of her points in the final two quarters. She easily worked with passes over the top of Louisiana Tech’s Averi Aaron and in the high-low when the Lady Techsters went to a zone. The Tigers need to learn from their lack of post play and use their advantage inside, especially as they prepare to play in the SEC.
Williams led LSU throughout the game
LSU struggled to find rhythm on both ends of the court in the early goings but Williams put the team on her back in the middle two frames. She scored 13 points, including two triples, on four of seven shots from the field. She added five rebounds and three assists over the same span.
Williams played a team-high 32 minutes on Saturday and she played all but two minutes in the first half. The junior displayed much-needed poise to an LSU team that couldn’t settle into the way it wanted to play initially. She also locked in on the defensive end, switching onto Bradley and locking her down for the back half of the contest. Her play in all facets gave the Tigers the confidence that they needed to pull ahead in the second half.
Kramer Robertson, son of Kim Mulkey, New Orleans Pelicans and Saints owner Gayle Benson and Mayor-Elect Helena Moreno sit on the sidelines during the first half of a Compete 4 Cause Classic basketball game between the Louisiana State Tigers and the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
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