Arkansas Families Sue to Block Ten Commandments Classroom Displays

Seven Arkansas families have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new state law that requires public school classrooms and libraries to prominently display the Ten Commandments, arguing that the mandate violates their constitutional rights by imposing a Christian-centric religious text on students. Signed into law by Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the law takes effect in August and applies to all public schools and buildings funded by taxpayer dollars. The families, representing Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious backgrounds, contend that the law pressures students into religious observance and exclusion, infringing on religious freedom and parental rights. The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation, naming several school districts as defendants. Similar laws in Louisiana have faced legal challenges and were struck down, and attorneys for the Arkansas families plan to seek a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the law. Arkansas officials, including the Attorney General’s office, are currently reviewing the lawsuit and have not yet commented on the litigation.