Arkansas Families Sue to Block Ten Commandments Display in Schools
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A coalition of seven multifaith Arkansas families has initiated legal action to challenge a new state law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in all public elementary and secondary school classrooms and libraries. This lawsuit, known as Stinson v. Fayetteville School District No. 1, was filed with the support of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arkansas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The contested legislation, Arkansas Act 573 of 2025, requires that the Ten Commandments be displayed prominently, measuring at least 16 by 20 inches, and the text must be legible from anywhere in the room. The law specifies using a version of the Ten Commandments associated with Protestant beliefs, selected by lawmakers.
Plaintiff Samantha Stinson, representing families from Judaism, Unitarian Universalism, and other belief systems, argues that this law infringes upon their First Amendment rights and violates established Supreme Court precedents. Stinson stated, “This law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children.”
The plaintiffs cite a precedent from the Supreme Court’s decision in Stone v. Graham, which ruled against displays of the Ten Commandments in public schools, emphasizing the importance of church-state separation.
To prevent the law from taking effect on August 5, 2025, the plaintiffs plan to file a motion for a preliminary injunction. “This is a clear imposition of religious doctrine on Arkansas public school children. We will fight to uphold this nation’s foundational constitutional principles,” declared Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for public education and religious freedom in Arkansas.
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