Court halts enforcement of Arkansas law mandating display of Ten Commandments in classrooms across four districts
In recent developments, a number of states, including Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana, have pushed for laws mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms as part of a broader effort to inject Christian religious doctrine into public education. However, these laws are facing significant opposition and legal challenges.
A group of families and faith leaders in Texas filed a lawsuit seeking to block their state's requirements days after it was signed into law. The current legal status of these laws is highly contested and largely unfavorable to the states.
In Arkansas, a federal judge blocked the law that mandated displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms in at least four school districts. Judge Timothy L. Brooks ruled that the law is unconstitutional under the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. The judge emphasized the potential coercion of students to observe a particular religion and noted the law's role in a coordinated strategy among several states to establish government-sponsored religion in classrooms.
Similarly, in Louisiana, a panel of appellate judges ruled the requirement unconstitutional. However, this legal dispute is ongoing, with the state’s Attorney General petitioning for further review by a higher court, indicating that the law’s fate may ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation against the Arkansas law also challenges similar requirements in Texas. The legal battle over the Ten Commandments display in public school classrooms is likely far from over, with the issue expected to eventually reach the US Supreme Court.
The ACLU of Arkansas Executive Director Holly Bailey stated through a spokesperson that "it is clear from this order and long established law that all should refrain from posting" the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. John L. Williams, legal director of ACLU of Arkansas, stated that the court upheld every student's right to learn free from government-imposed faith.
It was not immediately clear if the groups would seek a broader block of the Arkansas law beyond the four districts. The ruling in Louisiana marked a major win for civil liberties groups who argue that the law violates the separation of church and state. The Arkansas law, signed by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, takes effect on Tuesday and requires the Ten Commandments to be prominently displayed in public school classrooms and libraries.
In Texas, the lawsuit filed by families and faith leaders challenging the law's constitutionality cites precedent from the 1980 Supreme Court decision in Stone v. Graham (1980), which struck down a similar Kentucky law. However, contemporary judicial attitudes toward such cases may be shifting.
The legal battles over the Ten Commandments display in public schools are a reflection of the ongoing debate about the role of religion in public education and the interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. As these cases make their way through the court system, the future of these laws remains uncertain.
Us, as part of the ongoing debate about the role of religion in public education, are closely following the legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The possibility of the issue reaching the US Supreme Court is significant, as the court's decision could set a precedent for education-and-self-development, politics, and general-news in public schools regarding the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
