Supreme Court Ruling Bars Ten Commandments in Classrooms

1980 decision in Stone v. Graham still stands, despite efforts to post them in Ohio schools

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A letter to the editor argues that the U.S. Supreme Court's 1980 ruling in Stone v. Graham, which found that a Kentucky statute requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms violated the Establishment Clause, remains the law of the land. The author notes that despite efforts by Republican legislators in Ohio and other states to post the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, the Supreme Court decision prohibiting such displays has not been overturned.

Why it matters

The ongoing debate over displaying religious symbols like the Ten Commandments in public schools highlights the tension between the constitutional separation of church and state and efforts by some lawmakers to promote certain religious beliefs in the classroom. The Supreme Court's 1980 ruling in Stone v. Graham set a precedent that has withstood subsequent challenges, underscoring the legal barriers to such displays.

The details

In the 1980 case of Stone v. Graham, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Kentucky statute mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom was unconstitutional, as it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Despite this clear legal precedent, some Republican legislators in states like Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas have attempted to pass laws allowing or even requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

  • The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the Stone v. Graham case in 1980.

The players

Supreme Court

The highest court in the United States, which ruled in the 1980 Stone v. Graham case that displaying the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms is unconstitutional.

David F. Denes

A resident of Twinsburg, Ohio who wrote a letter to the editor arguing that the Supreme Court's 1980 ruling in Stone v. Graham remains the law of the land, despite efforts by some Republican legislators to post the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

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What they’re saying

“Unless, and until, the U.S. Supreme Court reverses its 1980 Stone v. Graham decision finding that mandated display of the Ten Commandments violated the Establishment Clause, it remains the law of the land.”

— David F. Denes, Twinsburg resident (cleveland.com)

The takeaway

The Supreme Court's 1980 ruling in Stone v. Graham, which found that mandated display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms is unconstitutional, continues to be the governing legal precedent on this issue. Despite ongoing efforts by some lawmakers to circumvent this decision, the law remains clear that such religious displays in public schools violate the separation of church and state.