Arkansas Families Sue To Keep 10 Commandments Out Of Classroom Before New Law Takes Effect

Arkansas families are suing to block nan 10 Commandments from being displayed successful nationalist schoolhouse classrooms arsenic required by a caller authorities law.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a measure into rule successful April requiring nan Ten Commandments and nan "national motto, ‘In God We Trust’" to beryllium "prominently" displayed connected posters successful Arkansas classrooms and nationalist buildings. The schoolhouse instruction takes effect successful August.

The posters, which must meet a definite size requirement, must beryllium donated aliases funded done backstage donations, nan law states. Schools are allowed to usage nationalist costs aliases donations to switch immoderate noncompliant show pinch a compliant display.

A conjugation of multi-faith families based on successful their ineligible situation that nan belief show request violates their belief state and parental rights.

An Arkansas 10 Commandments rule is being challenged successful court. (Michael Smith/Getty Images)

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"Permanently posting nan Ten Commandments successful each schoolroom and room — rendering them unavoidable — unconstitutionally pressures students into belief observance, veneration, and take of nan state’s favored belief scripture," nan suit states.

"It besides sends nan harmful and religiously divisive connection that students who do not subscribe to nan Ten Commandments—or, much precisely, to nan circumstantial type of nan Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not beryllium successful their ain schoolhouse organization and pressures them to refrain from expressing immoderate religion practices aliases beliefs that are not aligned pinch nan state’s belief preferences."

The suit was revenge connected behalf of nan families by nan American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for nan Separation of Church and State and nan Freedom from Religion Foundation. 

"As American Jews, my hubby and I profoundly worth nan expertise to raise our children successful our faith, without interference from nan government," Plaintiff Samantha Stinson said in a property release. "By imposing a Christian-centric translator of nan Ten Commandments connected our children for astir each hr of each time of their public-school education, this rule will infringe connected our authorities arsenic parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive schoolhouse situation for our children."

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is pictured present successful Little Rock, Ark., connected Feb. 7, 2023. (Al Drago/Pool Photo via AP, File)

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It names 4 schoolhouse districts successful northwest Arkansas — Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — arsenic defendants.

The plaintiffs are asking for a preliminary injunction to region nan implementation of nan rule while nan suit is pending, according to nan ACLU.

Fayetteville Public Schools, Bentonville Schools and Siloam Springs School District told Fox News Digital they do not remark connected pending litigation but "it appears aft reviewing nan tribunal filing, that nan suit intends to situation nan constitutionality of a caller Arkansas rule that will return effect successful August alternatively than challenging immoderate action taken by [the schoolhouse districts named successful nan lawsuit]."

Springdale Schools did not instantly return a petition for comment.

Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry speaks successful nan House Chamber successful Baton Rouge, Louisiana, connected Jan. 15, 2024. (Michael Johnson/The Advocate via AP, Pool, File)

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a akin measure into rule past twelvemonth which has besides faced ineligible challenges.

A national judge temporarily blocked nan measurement earlier it was to return effect successful January, calling it "unconstitutional connected its face."

Louisiana defended nan belief display successful a national appeals tribunal successful January.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.