A federal judge on Monday, March 16, struck down an Arkansas law that mandated the prominent display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. This ruling is a significant development in the ongoing debate over religion in government institutions, especially as similar laws in other states face legal hurdles.
According to AP, US District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks delivered a clear message in his written judgment. He stated that “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.” Judge Brooks went on to emphasize that there is “no need to strain our minds to imagine a constitutional display mandated” by the 2025 law, adding, “One doesn’t exist.”
Last year, seven Arkansas families from various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new law. This law required all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library. While it’s not entirely clear how many schools or publicly-funded universities actually put up the posters, local media had reported examples, including one at the University of Arkansas’s Fayetteville campus.
The decision is a victory for the separation of church and state in schools
Megan Bailey, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which represents parents challenging the law, said that this ruling means the law is unconstitutional. She noted that it would be pretty unwise for any school district in Arkansas to move forward with posting the Ten Commandments now. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, however, quickly issued a statement saying she plans to appeal the ruling, vowing to “defend our state’s values.”
This Arkansas law is just one of several similar mandates pushed by Republicans, including President Trump, who have been advocating for incorporating religion into public schools. Louisiana and Texas have also enacted their own laws requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms, and these have likewise stirred up legal challenges. Many expect these cases to eventually reach the US Supreme Court for a final decision.
Over in Louisiana, things are a bit different now. The state became the first to mandate poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, from kindergarten through college, back in 2024. After nearly two years of federal court battles, a ruling last month from the full 5th US Circuit of Appeals vacated an earlier court order that had prevented the law from taking effect. This cleared the way for displays to be installed in classrooms.
Immediately following that February 20 ruling, Governor Jeff Landry instructed schools to follow 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 Louisiana law requires schools to accept donated posters, which must be in a “large, easily readable font.”
A conservative advocacy group, Louisiana Family Forum, has already sent posters to most of the state’s parish school systems. Still, there haven’t been widespread reports of schools actually hanging them up yet, with some officials expressing concerns about potential litigation. Others, like Louisiana State University President Wade Rousse, say compliance is imminent once they receive donated posters.
Meanwhile, Texas saw a similar mandate take effect last year, representing what was then the nation’s widest-reaching attempt to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools. Posters did start going up in classrooms as school districts either accepted donations or paid to print them.
However, about two dozen of the state’s approximately 1,200 school districts were prevented from displaying the posters after federal judges issued injunctions in cases against the law. Arguments over the Texas law were heard by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in January, and litigation is still pending there.
Critics of these mandates argue that they are unconstitutional and violate the essential separation of church and state. Proponents, on the other hand, maintain that the Ten Commandments hold significant historical value and are part of the foundation of the United States.
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