US District Judge Carl J. Barbier, in New Orleans, Louisiana, issued a ruling in the favor of the Louisiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as it filed a suit against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. The ACLU claims that the allowing of Bible handouts in public schools violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution which calls for the separation of church and state.
When issuing the ruling, Judge Barbier said that it uses the school board to promote Christianity. He also summarized his judgment which has been based only on the written beliefs. Judges only have the power to make that judgment if the law is highly transparent. To Barbier, the law was transparent.
However, the school board plans to take it to the appeals court. The ACLU filed the suit on the behalf of a family that wishes to remain anonymous. The family said that their daughter felt pressured into taking one. From that complaint, the ACLU had taken action against the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. They wish to remain anonymous out of fear of possible backlash.