Latest news with #10Commandments
American Press
15 hours ago
- Politics
- American Press
Court blocks Louisiana law requiring schools to post Ten Commandments in classrooms
Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday signed a bill mandating the displays of the 10 Commandments in all Louisiana public schools. (Crystal Stevenson / American Press) A panel of three federal appellate judges has ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in each of the state's public school classrooms is unconstitutional. The ruling Friday marked a major win for civil liberties groups who say the mandate violates the separation of church and state, and that the poster-sized displays would isolate students — especially those who are not Christian. The mandate has been touted by Republicans, including President Donald Trump, and marks one of the latest pushes by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms. Backers of the law argue the Ten Commandments belong in classrooms because they are historical and part of the foundation of U.S. law. The plaintiffs' attorneys and Louisiana disagreed on whether the appeals court's decision applied to every public school district in the state or only the districts party to the lawsuit. 'All school districts in the state are bound to comply with the U.S. Constitution,' said Liz Hayes, a spokesperson for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which served as co-counsel for the plaintiffs. The appeals court's rulings 'interpret the law for all of Louisiana,' Hayes added. 'Thus, all school districts must abide by this decision and should not post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.' Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she disagreed and believed the ruling only applied to school districts in the five parishes that were party to the lawsuit and that she would seek to appeal the ruling. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' order stems from a lawsuit filed last year by parents of Louisiana school children from various religious backgrounds, who said the law violates First Amendment language guaranteeing religious liberty and forbidding government establishment of religion. The mandate was signed into law last June by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry. The court's ruling backs an order issued last fall by U.S. District Judge John deGravelles, who declared the mandate unconstitutional and ordered state education officials not to take steps to enforce it and to notify all local school boards in the state of his decision. Law experts have long said they expect the Louisiana case to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, testing the conservative court on the issue of religion and government. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar Kentucky law violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which says Congress can 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion.' The high court found that the law had no secular purpose but served a plainly religious purpose. In 2005, the Supreme Court held that such displays in a pair of Kentucky courthouses violated the Constitution. At the same time, the court upheld a Ten Commandments marker on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol in Austin.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas attorney general files motion to intervene in 10 Commandments lawsuit
FORT SMITH, Ark. – The Arkansas attorney general has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit aimed at blocking the mandate to display the 10 Commandments in classrooms. The motion was filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith. It cites the public interest as the reason for intervention and states that the legal prerequisites for its intervention request are met. Lawsuit filed to halt Arkansas law putting 10 Commandments in classrooms The lawsuit cited for intervention was filed on June 11 to overturn Act 573 of 2025, which required the 10 Commandments to be in each elementary and secondary school classroom. The suit was filed in the Western District of Arkansas on behalf of six families from northwest Arkansas with school-aged children against four school districts in northwest Arkansas. The suit states that the families who are atheist, Jewish, Unitarian Universalists, Humanists, agnostic and a household led by an atheist who is a former Mormon are being forced to observe religious doctrine they do not subscribe to or wish to force on their children. The suit claims Act 573 violates the First Amendment's establishment and free exercise clauses. Plaintiffs request a preliminary injunction to prevent the law from taking effect before the court case is completed. Ten Commandments, 'In God We Trust' in classrooms is now Arkansas law Act 573 is scheduled to take effect on Aug. 5. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
Arkansas families are suing to block the 10 Commandments from being displayed in public school classrooms as required by a new state law. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law in April requiring the Ten Commandments and the "national motto, 'In God We Trust'" to be "prominently" displayed on posters in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings. The school mandate takes effect in August. The posters, which must meet a certain size requirement, must be donated or funded through private donations, the law states. Schools are allowed to use public funds or donations to replace any noncompliant display with a compliant display. A coalition of multi-faith families argued in their legal challenge that the religious display requirement violates their religious freedom and parental rights. Supreme Court Likely To Side With Parents In Letting Them Opt Out Of Lgbtq Storybooks, Expert Says "Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library — rendering them unavoidable — unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture," the lawsuit states. Read On The Fox News App "It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences." The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. "As American Jews, my husband and I deeply value the ability to raise our children in our faith, without interference from the government," Plaintiff Samantha Stinson said in a press release. "By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children." Scotus Rulings This Term Could Strengthen Religious Rights Protections, Expert Says It names four school districts in northwest Arkansas — Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — as defendants. The plaintiffs are asking for a preliminary injunction to pause the implementation of the law while the lawsuit is pending, according to the ACLU. Fayetteville Public Schools, Bentonville Schools and Siloam Springs School District told Fox News Digital they do not comment on pending litigation but "it appears after reviewing the court filing, that the lawsuit aims to challenge the constitutionality of a new Arkansas law that will take effect in August rather than challenging any action taken by [the school districts named in the lawsuit]." Springdale Schools did not immediately return a request for comment. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year which has also faced legal challenges. A federal judge temporarily blocked the measure before it was to take effect in January, calling it "unconstitutional on its face." Louisiana defended the religious display in a federal appeals court in January. The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
Arkansas families are suing to block the 10 Commandments from being displayed in public school classrooms as required by a new state law. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law in April requiring the Ten Commandments and the 'national motto, 'In God We Trust'' to be 'prominently' displayed on posters in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings. Advertisement The school mandate takes effect in August. The posters, which must meet a certain size requirement, must be donated or funded through private donations, the law states. Schools are allowed to use public funds or donations to replace any noncompliant display with a compliant display. A coalition of multi-faith families argued in their legal challenge that the religious display requirement violates their religious freedom and parental rights. Advertisement 'Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library — rendering them unavoidable — unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture,' the lawsuit states. 'It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences.' 3 Families in the state of Arkansas have filed a lawsuit to prevent the display of the 10 Commandments in public schools across the state, citing a new law that is set to take effect. Getty Images The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Advertisement 'As American Jews, my husband and I deeply value the ability to raise our children in our faith, without interference from the government,' Plaintiff Samantha Stinson said in a press release. 'By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children.' 3 The bill, which was signed by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, will take effect in August. AP It names four school districts in northwest Arkansas — Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — as defendants. Advertisement The plaintiffs are asking for a preliminary injunction to pause the implementation of the law while the lawsuit is pending, according to the ACLU. Fayetteville Public Schools, Bentonville Schools and Siloam Springs School District told Fox News Digital they do not comment on pending litigation but 'it appears after reviewing the court filing, that the lawsuit aims to challenge the constitutionality of a new Arkansas law that will take effect in August rather than challenging any action taken by [the school districts named in the lawsuit].' 3 The families who filed the suit claim that the new law violates their religious freedom. AP Springdale Schools did not immediately return a request for comment. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year which has also faced legal challenges. A federal judge temporarily blocked the measure before it was to take effect in January, calling it 'unconstitutional on its face.' Louisiana defended the religious display in a federal appeals court in January. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed to halt Arkansas law putting 10 Commandments in classrooms
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A lawsuit filed on Wednesday seeks to halt the Arkansas law requiring the 10 Commandments in Arkansas classrooms. Act 573 of 2025 required the Commandment and the motto 'In God we trust' to be in each elementary and secondary school classroom. The bill received broad support in both chambers, with a 27-4 vote in the Senate and a 71-20 vote in the House. Ten Commandments, 'In God We Trust' in classrooms is now Arkansas law Funding for the displays must be acquired through private donations, as mandated by law, which also details the specific wording and size of the display. The law's requirements mean that students 'will be forcibly subjected to scriptural dictates, day in and day out,' the lawsuit states, adding that doing so violates the prohibition against public schools imposing religious doctrine. The law 'unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture,' the suit states. 'It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences.' Central Arkansas schools prepare for laws going into effect next year The suit also notes that a similar law passed in Louisiana in 2024 was subsequently overturned. The suit was filed in the Western District of Arkansas on behalf of six northwest Arkansas families with school-aged children, as well as four northwest Arkansas school districts. The suit states that the families who are atheist, Jewish, Unitarian Universalists, Humanists, agnostic and a household led by an atheist who is a former Mormon are being forced to observe religious doctrine they do not subscribe to or wish to force on their children. The suit claims Act 573 violates the First Amendment's establishment and free exercise clauses. Plaintiffs request a preliminary injunction to prevent the law from taking effect before the court case is completed. Arkansas legislature bills filed Tuesday include changes to the Arkansas Constitution, water bonds, human trafficking, more Act 573 is scheduled to take effect on Aug. 5. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
