Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey has approved the official Ten Commandments poster that public schools will be required to display beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
In an Oct. 8 memo to city and county superintendents, Mackey said the approved image is the only version schools may use to comply with the law. The memo states that printed copies of the poster will be provided to schools at no charge, with additional distribution information expected later.
The requirement stems from Senate Bill 99, which was approved by the Alabama Legislature during the 2026 session and signed into law by Gov. Kay Ivey in April.
Under the law, schools must display the poster in a common area, such as an entrance, cafeteria or library. The display also must appear in every fifth- through 12th-grade classroom where United States history is routinely taught.
Schools serving only kindergarten through fourth grade are exempt from the requirement.
The approved poster, titled “Historical Truths: The Ten Commandments and America’s Founding Documents,” features the Ten Commandments alongside references to historical documents, including the Mayflower Compact, the Northwest Ordinance, the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
The poster also includes a quotation from former President John Quincy Adams, who wrote in an 1813 letter to his son that the Ten Commandments served as both a moral and civil code and that many of its principles have been reflected in legal systems throughout history.
The phrase, “One Nation under God,” appears at the bottom of the poster against a background featuring an American flag and a bald eagle.
The law requires displays to include language stating that decisions about faith remain with students and their families and that the poster is intended to recognize the historical role of the Ten Commandments in American history.
“The Alabama Constitution provides that “no religion shall be established by law,” and the State of Alabama specifically respects the rights of its public school students to be free from state-established religion,” the poster reads.
“Recognizing that personal choice about matters of faith is left to students and their families, the purpose of this poster is simply to acknowledge the historical role of the Ten Commandments, and the broader Judeo-Christian tradition, in shaping American civil society.”
Supporters of the measure said during legislative debate that the displays recognize the historical influence of the Ten Commandments on the nation’s founding principles rather than promote a particular religion.
Opponents argued that the requirement could make students of other faiths feel excluded and raised concerns about the separation of church and state.
The legislation passed the Alabama House in April on an 81-10 vote after clearing the Senate 28-6.
While Alabama public schools will have the Ten Commandments displayed, other states with similar laws have faced legal challenges.
A federal judge in March ruled that an Arkansas law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public schools was unconstitutional.
Courts have reached different conclusions on similar measures elsewhere. Federal appeals courts have allowed laws in Louisiana and Texas requiring Ten Commandments displays in public schools to take effect while legal challenges continue.
