Federal Judge Blocks Arkansas Law Mandating Ten Commandments in Schools

On August 4, 2025, U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of Arkansas Act 573, a law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms and libraries. The injunction currently applies to four school districts: Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, and Siloam Springs.

Act 573, signed into law by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, requires that a "durable poster or framed copy of a historical representation of the Ten Commandments" be prominently displayed in every public school classroom and library. The law specifies that these displays must be at least 16 x 20 inches in size and placed in a conspicuous location.

The lawsuit challenging the law was filed by seven multifaith families with children in public schools. These families, identifying as Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, or nonreligious, argue that Act 573 imposes religious doctrine on students and interferes with their rights to direct their children's religious upbringing. They are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arkansas, the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

In his 35-page ruling, Judge Brooks stated that Act 573 is "plainly unconstitutional" under both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment. He emphasized that the law would lead to unconstitutional religious coercion of students and interfere with parents' rights to direct their children's religious education. Brooks noted that students from kindergarten through twelfth grade would be confronted daily with the Ten Commandments in their classrooms, which could pressure them into religious observance.

Governor Sanders defended the law, stating, "In Arkansas, we do in fact believe that murder is wrong and stealing is bad. It is entirely appropriate to display the Ten Commandments—the basis of all Western law and morality—as a reminder to students, state employees, and every Arkansan who enters a government building." Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin is reviewing the court's order and assessing legal options.

The ruling affects nearly 500,000 students returning to classrooms in the state. Similar laws in Louisiana and Texas have faced legal challenges. In Louisiana, a comparable law was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. These cases highlight a coordinated strategy among several states to inject Christian religious doctrine into public-school classrooms, raising significant questions about the separation of church and state in education.

This decision underscores the ongoing constitutional debates over the role of religion in public education and the balance between religious expression and constitutional protections in public schools.