A federal judge has blocked an Arkansas law that would have forced public schools to prominently post the Ten Commandments in every classroom, delivering a blow to Republican-backed efforts to bring religious displays into government-funded education.
U.S. District Court Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued the ruling on Monday, striking down the state requirement that had mandated elementary and secondary schools display the religious text in classrooms and libraries. The Arkansas law represents part of a broader Republican initiative, supported by President Donald Trump, aimed at integrating religious elements into public education.
Similar legislation has been passed in Louisiana and Texas, with all three states now facing court challenges that legal experts anticipate will ultimately be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court. The cases have reignited longstanding constitutional debates about religious expression in government institutions.
Seven Arkansas families from different religious and non-religious backgrounds brought the lawsuit last year, targeting six school districts across the state. Despite the ongoing legal battle, some institutions had already begun implementing the displays, including the University of Arkansas Fayetteville campus, according to reports from the Arkansas Advocate in October.
Those opposing the mandate contend it breaches constitutional principles separating church and state, while supporters argue the Ten Commandments hold historical importance as foundational elements of American law.
In his written decision, Judge Brooks emphasized the inappropriateness of such displays across different academic subjects. “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 stated.
The judge, who received his nomination from former President Barack Obama, further declared that no constitutional version of the 2025 law exists. “There is no need to strain our minds to imagine a constitutional display mandated” by the legislation, he wrote. “One doesn’t exist.”
The scope of Brooks’ decision remains uncertain—whether it applies solely to the six school districts named in the lawsuit or extends statewide. Megan Bailey, representing the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which supported the challenging families, said the decision demonstrates the law’s unconstitutional nature.
“Given that, it would be unwise for any school district in Arkansas to move forward with posting the Ten Commandments,” Bailey stated to The Associated Press.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced plans to challenge the ruling, saying she intends to appeal and “defend our state’s values.”
Louisiana made history in 2024 as the first state requiring poster-sized Ten Commandments displays in all public school classrooms, from elementary through college levels. After nearly two years of federal court proceedings, a recent ruling removed previous restrictions, allowing schools to begin installation.
Following the February 20 decision from the full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry directed schools to implement the law immediately. Landry informed educators that the court’s action “removes any obstacles to the implementation of Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law” and instructed schools to “proceed with placing the posters in classrooms.”
Louisiana’s law mandates schools accept donated Ten Commandments posters featuring “large, easily readable font.” The Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative advocacy organization, distributed posters to most parish school systems earlier this year, according to The New Orleans Advocate/The Times-Picayune.
Widespread poster installation has not yet occurred, with some school officials expressing concerns about potential lawsuits. However, others indicate implementation is approaching. Louisiana State University President Wade Rousse confirmed the university plans to comply but has not yet received donated materials as of last week.
Texas implemented its own similar requirement last year, creating the nation’s most extensive effort to install Ten Commandments displays in public schools. The initiative sparked diverse reactions among educators, parents, and students as school districts either accepted donations or purchased their own posters.
Approximately two dozen of Texas’s roughly 1,200 school districts received court injunctions preventing poster installation after federal judges intervened in legal challenges. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments regarding the Texas law in January, with litigation still ongoing.
