A federal judge Monday permanently blocked enforcement of an Arkansas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, ruling the measure unconstitutional and lacking any legitimate educational purpose.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks said Act 573 of 2025 violates the First Amendment, emphasizing that the law mandates religious displays "without regard to the class' subject matter, students' ages or other material consideration."
In a sharply worded and at times sarcastic opinion, Brooks wrote, "Nothing could possibly justify hanging the Ten Commandments, with or without historical context, in a calculus, chemistry, French, or woodworking class."
The lawsuit, filed last year by seven families from varied religious and nonreligious backgrounds, challenged the requirement as government endorsement of religion.
The plaintiffs were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and other advocacy groups.
Brooks rejected the state's argument that the displays were merely passive, noting that students would be repeatedly exposed over the course of their education.
"The State offers no law to support the argument that a little coercive religious indoctrination is fine," he wrote.
He also dismissed proposals to limit the injunction to specific students, saying such an approach would be impractical and insufficient.
Creating "'Ten Commandment-free bubbles' around each child-Plaintiff," Brooks wrote, would risk repeated exposure and "is unacceptable."
Arkansas officials said they plan to appeal.
Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended the law, calling the Ten Commandments "the basis of all Western law and morality," while supporters argue the displays reflect historical influence.
The ruling adds to a growing number of legal challenges to similar laws nationwide, with cases in Texas and Louisiana also moving through the courts.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.