Judge strikes down law mandating schools display the Ten Commandments

BATON ROUGE, La. — An Arkansas law requiring that the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in public school classrooms was struck down by a federal judge on Monday. The law is among several pushed by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, aimed at incorporating religion in public schools.

Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas have all enacted similar laws requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms. Each of these mandates has faced legal challenges, with many expecting the U.S. Supreme Court to eventually weigh in. Here is a closer look at the status of these mandates, which have reignited the long-running debate over the role of religion in government institutions.

Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new law mandating that all public elementary and secondary schools display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library. The lawsuit named six school districts in Arkansas as defendants.

While it remains unclear how many school districts or publicly funded universities have posted the displays, local media outlets have reported multiple examples over the past five months. This includes the Ten Commandments being posted at the University of Arkansas on the Fayetteville campus, according to an October report by the Arkansas Advocate.

Critics argue that the mandate is unconstitutional and violates the separation of church and state. Proponents contend that the Ten Commandments hold historical significance and form part of the foundation of the United States.

On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a written judgment stating, “Nothing could possibly justify hanging the Ten Commandments—with or without historical context—in a calculus, chemistry, French, or woodworking class, to name a few.” Brooks, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, elaborated that there is “no need to strain our minds to imagine a constitutional display mandated” by the 2025 law; “One doesn’t exist,” he wrote.

While Brooks’ ruling blocks the law’s requirement, it is currently unclear whether his decision applies broadly across Arkansas or is limited to the specific school districts named in the lawsuit.

Megan Bailey, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, one of the groups representing the parents challenging the law, said the ruling “makes clear the law is unconstitutional.” She added, “Given that, it would be unwise for any school district in Arkansas to move forward with posting the Ten Commandments.”

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement saying she plans to appeal the ruling and “defend our state’s values.”

Meanwhile, in 2024, Louisiana became the first state to mandate poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, from kindergarten through college. Following nearly two years of federal court challenges, a ruling last month vacated an earlier court order that had prevented the law from taking effect, clearing the way for displays to be installed in classrooms.

Immediately after the Feb. 20 ruling from the full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Governor Jeff Landry instructed schools to comply with the law and post the Ten Commandments. In a letter to educators, Landry wrote that the court’s decision “removes any obstacles to the implementation of Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law” and that schools “should now proceed with placing the posters in classrooms.”

The law requires schools to accept donated Ten Commandments posters, which must feature “large, easily readable font.” Earlier this year, a conservative advocacy group, Louisiana Family Forum, sent posters to most of the state’s parish school systems, according to The New Orleans Advocate/The Times-Picayune.

There have not yet been widespread reports of schools hanging up the posters, with some school officials expressing concerns about potential litigation. However, others say that installation of the posters is imminent. Among them is Louisiana State University President Wade Rousse, who said the university intends to comply with the law but has not yet received donated posters as of last week.

In Texas, a similar mandate took effect last year, marking the widest-reaching attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. With strong opinions among teachers, parents, and students, the posters began appearing in classrooms as school districts accepted donations or paid to have them printed.

About two dozen of Texas’s roughly 1,200 school districts were barred from hanging the posters after federal judges issued injunctions in cases against the law. In January, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments regarding the Texas law, and litigation is still pending.

As legal battles continue, the presence of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms remains a highly contentious issue, reflecting broader debates over religion’s place in public education and government institutions nationwide.
https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/judge-strikes-arkansas-law-mandating-schools-display-ten-131166926

You may also like

Elon Musk testifies in Twitter shareholder trial over actions before purchase

2026 年 3 月 4 日

Can prosecuting parents help break the cycle of school shootings? | 60 Minutes

2026 年 3 月 1 日

Court clears way for Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms

2026 年 2 月 21 日