Arkansas Families Urge Appellate Court to Block State Law Mandating Ten Commandments in All Public School Classrooms

ST. LOUIS — Attorneys for 10 multifaith and nonreligious Arkansas families presented oral argument today in Stinson v. Fayetteville School District No. 1, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to uphold a district court injunction that blocks the defendant school districts from implementing a state law (Act 573) requiring displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom and library. The attorneys argued that the injunction is necessary to protect the families’ religious freedom under the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment.

The organizations representing the families — the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP serving as pro bono counsel — issued the following statement:

“Arkansas families — not politicians — have the right to decide how and when their children engage with religion. Act 573 tramples families’ fundamental religious-freedom rights by forcing a government-selected version of the Ten Commandments on children for nearly every hour of the school day, throughout their entire public education. The district court correctly recognized that public schools exist to educate, not to impose the state’s preferred religious doctrine on children. We are proud to support these courageous families and will continue defending the constitutional promise of religious freedom for students and parents of every faith — and those who practice no religion at all.”

Learn more about Stinson v. Fayetteville School District No. 1 here.