University of Arkansas Maintains Ten Commandments Displays Despite Federal Judge’s Permanent Injunction

The University of Arkansas continues to display Ten Commandments posters, arguing a federal judge's "unconstitutional" ruling only applies to K-12 schools.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Arkansas Traveler

University Cites Jurisdictional Limits of Court Order

The University of Arkansas (UA) has confirmed that posters of the Ten Commandments will remain in classrooms, laboratories, and community spaces following a March 16 permanent injunction by Federal Judge Timothy Brooks. University spokesperson John Thomas stated that because the university was not a named party in the lawsuit, the injunction—which specifically addressed six K-12 public school districts—does not legally compel the university to remove the displays. Consequently, UA administration maintains that it is still required by Arkansas state law to display the donated materials.

Legal Basis for the Constitutional Challenge

Judge Brooks’ ruling focused on Act 573, an Arkansas law requiring the "historical representation" of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. In his order, Brooks asserted that the law lacked any secular, educational, or curricular purpose, noting that the words "educate" or "curriculum" were absent from the legislation. He denied the state's argument that the displays held historical significance beyond their religious nature, declaring that no constitutional display mandated by Act 573 exists.

Precedent and the Establishment Clause

The court’s decision relied heavily on Stone v. Graham (1980), a Supreme Court case that determined faith-based classroom displays violate the Establishment Clause by effectively establishing an official religion. Brooks argued that state-mandated religious speech is "problematically coercive," particularly in a school setting where students are forced into daily interaction with the material. He further distinguished the case from Van Orden v. Perry (2005), noting that classroom posters are not "passive" monuments but active fixtures in a compulsory educational environment.