Arkansas Ten Commandments Law Permanently Blocked in Schools
LITTLE ROCK, AR – A federal judge has permanently barred several Arkansas school districts from implementing a state law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. The ruling, issued on March 16, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks, asserts the law violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
First Amendment Concerns
Judge Brooks determined the law “serves no educational purpose” and infringes upon students’ and parents’ First Amendment rights, specifically the clauses concerning the establishment of religion and the free exercise thereof. The judge cited the landmark 1962 Supreme Court case regarding prayer in public schools as precedent. He stated the state “may have lost sight of the fact that ‘a union of government and religion tends to destroy government and to degrade religion.'”
Legal Challenge and Background
The lawsuit was brought by a group of multifaith families with children in Arkansas public schools, represented by civil liberties groups including Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, the ACLU, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, along with the New York-based law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. The districts initially impacted by the injunction were Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Conway, Lakeside, and Siloam Springs.
State Response and Appeal
The state of Arkansas, through Attorney General Tim Griffin, intervened in the case. Jeff LeMaster, Griffin’s communications director, stated the office is “reviewing the opinion and will appeal.”
Civil Rights Groups Praise Ruling
The ACLU of Arkansas hailed the decision as a victory for religious freedom. John C. Williams, Legal Director for the ACLU of Arkansas, stated, “Today’s ruling is a resounding affirmation that public schools are not Sunday schools. The Constitution protects every student’s right to learn free from government-imposed religious doctrine.”
Previous Injunction
Judge Brooks had previously issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting the law’s implementation, just one day before it was scheduled to take effect. This initial injunction applied to the same six school districts.
Similar Laws in Other States
The ruling comes after similar laws in Louisiana and Texas faced legal challenges. A federal appeals court previously struck down Louisiana’s law. Judge Brooks noted that the Arkansas law appeared to be part of a “coordinated strategy among several states to inject Christian religious doctrine into public-school classrooms.”