12 hours Ago By Alex Kienlen
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KARK) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law this week making religious displays in classrooms state law.
The governor signed Senate Bill 433, which mandates the display of the Ten Commandments and “In God We Trust” in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings maintained or operated with taxpayer funds.Rapper Azealia Banks says she regrets Trump voteFunds for the posters must be acquired through private donations, or the posters may be donated. Posters have to meet the minimum size requirement in the law of 11 by 14 inches for “In God We Trust” and 16 by 20 inches for the Ten Commandments.
The law mandates the specific language of the commandments displayed, using phrasing typical in older English translations of the Bible, such as “Thou shalt.” The Ten Commandments appear three times in the Bible, all in the Old Testament.The bill received broad support in both chambers, with a 27-4 Senate vote and a 71-20 vote in the House.
Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville) and Rep. Alyssa Brown (R-Heber Springs) were the bill’s primary sponsors, with 13 cosponsors.
Louisiana passed a similar law in 2024, but a federal judge blocked it before it was implemented, citing its “overtly religious” nature. Meanwhile, back in March, the Texas Senate also passed a bill to put the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.The implementation of the Ten Commandments in school classrooms has been widely criticized outside of Christian communities for a variety of reasons, including that doing so is an infringement on non-Christian religious freedoms and that their display violates the separation of church and state.
Facebook sending out $40 payments to users over ‘Like button’ issueThe American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas has staunchly advocated against the legislation.In a statement earlier this year, the ACLU of Arkansas said, in part: "Public schools are for education — not religious indoctrination. Forcing a state-selected version of religious scripture into classrooms pressures students to conform or risk being treated as outsiders.
Families — not the government — have the right to decide what, if any, religious beliefs their children adopt.".
