Conway School District added to Ten Commandments in public schools lawsuit

A federal judge has blocked the implementation of Arkansas Act 573, which mandated the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms and government buildings. The lawsuit was filed by parents in four school districts—Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, and Siloam Springs—who argue that the law violates their children's rights to religious expression. The ruling from the U. S. Western District of Arkansas prohibits these districts from displaying the Ten Commandments while the lawsuit is adjudicated.

An additional motion has been filed to include the Conway School District and two more plaintiffs. Act 573, signed into law in April, requires schools to hang posters of the Ten Commandments and the national motto, "In God We Trust," using both donated funds and government resources. The plaintiffs represent a diverse group, including Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, and nonreligious families, who contend that the law pressures their children regarding their personal beliefs. The text of the Ten Commandments specified in the law is a paraphrase of the King James Version, which has raised concerns among the Jewish families involved. This legal battle highlights ongoing tensions surrounding religious displays in public education settings.