Arkansas Enacts Two Laws Honoring Nation’s Religious Foundation

The first law, House Bill 1705, intends to foster a rich understanding of American history by “embedding” the religious and moral beliefs of the Founding Fathers into the state’s social studies curriculum. The measure passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 71-20 in the state House and 27-4 in the Senate. Under the law, at the start of the 2026-2027 school year, students in grades six through 12 will receive instruction on the Founders’ beliefs and how those beliefs influenced the founding documents of the United States.

Specifically, HB 1705 will require schools to teach students about:

• The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence: Students must learn “the meaning and purpose” of the phrase, “We hold these truths to be self‑evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

• The Founders’ core political beliefs: Students must learn about the Founders’ political views on “ordered liberty, equality, natural rights (including defense of self, community, and nation), freedom of speech and press, and the free exercise of religion.”

• The influence of the Founders’ religious and moral beliefs on the nation’s founding documents: The curriculum must explore the “identity of the ‘Creator’” and “human nature” as understood by the Founders. In addition, students must learn about the key constitutional principles of “separation of powers, federalism, and the fatal tendency of democracy,” as well as examine the Founders’ definitions of religion.

• Foundational texts and traditions: Students will also learn how the Founders crafted American law and policy drawing on Judeo‑Christian sources, such as the Ten Commandments, Mosaic Law, New Testament, and the teachings of ancient Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, as well as English legal heritage, including Common Law, Magna Carta, and the English Bill of Rights.

• The link between the Founders’ beliefs and modern freedoms: The curriculum must instruct students to recognize how the “inalienable rights” as listed in the Declaration of Independence led to “the abolition of slavery in the United States” and how today’s freedoms can be traced back to the beliefs of the Founders.

According to Arkansas Rep. Hope Duke, a lead sponsor of the bill, the law “elevates” educational standards in the areas of history and government by simply “looking at what the Founders believed and how it shaped our country.” Duke noted that it is crucial for “an informed citizenship” to know where their rights come from to ensure those rights remain protected.

The second education law signed today by Gov. Sanders is Senate Bill 433, which requires public school classrooms and government buildings across the state to display the Ten Commandments and the national motto, “In God We Trust.”

The law requires that public schools, higher education institutions, libraries, and government buildings prominently display a “durable” Ten Commandments display at least 16 inches by 20 inches with “text legible to a person with average vision from anywhere in the room.” The national motto display must be 11 inches by 14 inches with the motto as the central focus in a large, easily readable font. However, displays must be funded through voluntary contributions.

The Ten Commandments – a universal symbol of law and morality – has been ubiquitously displayed in schools and courthouses due to its impact on shaping American law and government. These displays were once a common sight in the public square until the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1971 Lemon v. Kurtzman opinion brought forth the “Lemon Test” used later to strike down public displays of the Decalogue. However, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to overturn the “Lemon Test” and interpret the First Amendment Establishment Clause according to its historical intent means that not only the Ten Commandments but other religious symbols may be displayed on public property. Under the Constitution, the Ten Commandments are a constitutionally-protected way to express where America’s moral law came from.

Restoring the Ten Commandments in schools has already seen progress in other states. Louisiana recently became the first state to pass legislation that requires the Ten Commandments be displayed in all of its public school classrooms. Even though a district court judge recently issued a temporary injunction blocking the law, the state will appeal setting up another potential Ten Commandments case for the Supreme Court. In addition, in June 2024, the Oklahoma public schools superintendent announced a directive for “all public schools to teach the Bible and the Ten Commandments.”

Liberty Counsel’s Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “We commend Arkansas legislators for taking steps to display the Ten Commandments and give students a proper education on the Founders’ religious and moral convictions. The Founders knew our inalienable rights come from God, not government, and that the sole purpose of government is to protect those rights. In addition, the Ten Commandments have indelibly shaped American law and government. Understanding the historical context in which the nation was founded and the foundational principles of our laws is a key to preserving our nation.”