In a legal move against a newly introduced state regulation, seven families in Arkansas have filed a lawsuit contesting a forthcoming requirement for public schools to display copies of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms and libraries. The federal lawsuit argues that this law infringes upon constitutional rights and pressures students towards religious adherence.
This legal action targets a law signed by Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier this year, which resembles similar legislation enacted in Louisiana and another soon-to-be-signed measure in Texas. Set to take effect in August, the Arkansas law mandates that the Ten Commandments be prominently posted within educational spaces.
According to the lawsuit, the requirement to display the Ten Commandments in such a pervasive manner imposes unconstitutional pressure on students to observe and venerate the state’s endorsed religious doctrine. The American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation are representing the families, claiming that the statute violates Supreme Court precedent and infringes upon First Amendment rights.
The lawsuit specifically names four school districts in northwest Arkansas: Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs, and Springdale. While Fayetteville’s district declined to comment on ongoing legal matters, the other districts have not yet responded to inquiries. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Attorney General Tim Griffin indicated that the lawsuit is under review, with decisions on the state’s course of action still pending.
The involved families, who identify as Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, or nonreligious, plan to request a preliminary injunction from the federal judge in Fayetteville to prevent the law from being enforced. They argue that by enforcing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments, the law not only infringes on parental rights but also creates an undesired and coercive environment for children in public schools.
Louisiana was the pioneer in introducing such a regulation, although its implementation was halted by a federal judge before it could become active at the start of this year. Despite claims from advocates that the legal blockade only affects the five school boards involved in the lawsuit, no known instances of posters being displayed have been reported as the court case persists.