Summary

Justin Timberlake was arrested for DUI in Long Island, released pending July court date. He's set to perform at Madison Square Garden this month. Timberlake, a former child actor and NSYNC member, achieved solo success with 10 Grammys. Arrested after driving erratically, refusing breathalyzer tests in Sag Harbor. His attorney vows to defend him amid ongoing legal proceedings. Timberlake's incident adds to a history of DUIs in the Hamptons.

‍

For those who read...

Thou Shalt Study! God, I love that title, sorry for the pun, good morning Current2 listeners, my favorite type of people! My name is Jake, and today we’re going to dive into Louisiana’s newest law requiring all classrooms that receive state funding to display the Ten Commandments (all 10 of them, I asked, all 10). After Governor Jeff Landry signed this bill into law yesterday, all classrooms must have a poster-sized, “large, easily readable” display of the Ten Commandments.

‍

The new requirement will go into effect in 2025 and will include a “context statement” detailing the significance of the Ten Commandments in American history. The legislation also specifies the exact wording that should be on the display, and that the text of the commandments must be the display’s central focus. 

‍

Critics of the law have voiced concerns that requiring all classrooms to display a religious text violates the establishment clause of the Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing a national religion. Various civil liberties groups have vowed to challenge the new law in court, citing claims about its constitutionality.

‍

Supporters of Louisiana’s newest requirement have referenced the 2022 Supreme Court case Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, in which a high school football coach was given his job back after being fired in controversy surrounding praying on the field. The court ruled that the coach’s prayers constituted private speech, and were therefore protected by the First Amendment. They also argued that the measure was not purely religious, and also held historical significance in the state.

‍

In addition to the Ten Commandments, the law also “authorizes” the display of various other items in public schools. This includes the Mayflower Compact, which was signed by religious pilgrims on the Mayflower, and the Northwest Ordinance, which established a government in the modern day Midwest along with a process for adding new states to the Union.

‍

The new controversial law in the heart of America’s Bible Belt comes from new Republican leadership in the area, call back to Jeff Landry who we mentioned at the beginning of the episode. This followed the exit of two-term Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. In the lead up to the 2024 election, bills that would result in similar requirements have been proposed in other states, such as Utah, Texas, and Oklahoma.

‍

That’s all we have for today’s Current2 Deeper Dive! Thanks for tuning in, we hope you're leaving a bit more well informed! Take care, we’ll see you next time.

‍

Bulletin Brief

Louisiana classrooms now required by law to display the Ten Commandments (CNN)

New law requires all Louisiana public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments (AP)

Louisiana becomes first state to require that Ten Commandment be displayed in public classrooms (CBS)