BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey has approved the Ten Commandments poster that public schools will be required to display beginning Jan. 1, 2027, provided donated funds or displays are available.
In an Oct. 8 memo to city and county superintendents, Mackey included the approved image and told school leaders it is the only version that can be used to comply with the law.
The law does not require schools to use public funds to purchase the posters.
The approved poster, titled “Historical Truths: The Ten Commandments and America’s Founding Documents,” includes the Ten Commandments alongside references to the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Mayflower Compact, Northwest Ordinance and a letter written by John Quincy Adams.
At the bottom of the poster, the words “One Nation under God” appear prominently against a background featuring an American flag and a bald eagle.
The law specifies the wording that must appear on the displays but leaves approval of the layout and design to the state superintendent. It requires the posters to be at least 11 inches by 14 inches.
The approved poster differs in appearance from a version presented to state lawmakers earlier this year. That earlier design featured the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, along with illustrations of historical documents and landmarks.
Mackey told Alabama Daily News that the Alabama State Department of Education received several submissions but selected and approved a design very similar to the one introduced by lawmakers earlier this year. The department corrected a few items to make them clearer for printing, Mackey said.
Rep. Mark Gidley, R-Hokes Bluff, showed lawmakers a similar proposed design during a March House Education Policy Committee meeting.
At least two conservative organizations are raising money to provide the displays to Alabama public schools.
Eagle Forum of Alabama is soliciting donations to cover printing and distribution costs, with contributions ranging from $5 for an 11-by-14-inch classroom poster to $10 for a larger poster intended for a school’s common area.
The Alabama Policy Institute is also seeking donations through its FaithBlazers initiative. The organization has set a $50,000 fundraising goal and says an unnamed donor has pledged to match contributions up to $50,000.
API is also recruiting volunteers to assemble and distribute posters. According to its website, donors may designate a particular school district to benefit from their contributions.
The requirement stems from Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Sen. Keith Kelley, R-Anniston, which lawmakers passed during the 2026 legislative session. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the measure into law in April.
Under the law, the poster must be displayed in every fifth- through 12th-grade classroom where U.S. history is routinely taught. Schools must also display the poster in a common area such as a cafeteria, library or entryway. Schools serving only kindergarten through fourth grade are exempt from the display requirement.
In his memo, Mackey said “printed copies will be available at no charge for distribution to the schools,” and that additional information is forthcoming.
During a March legislative committee meeting, Mackey said state education officials had worked closely with Gidley and the governor’s office on the legislation and expressed confidence that it would withstand constitutional scrutiny. He also said he did not expect the law to be challenged in court.
Gidley has said the purpose of the legislation is to recognize the historical influence of the Ten Commandments on the nation’s founding.
The poster includes language acknowledging that the Alabama Constitution prohibits the establishment of religion and that students and families retain the right to make their own decisions about religious belief.
The legislation drew opposition from the American Historical Association, which urged Alabama lawmakers to reject the bill, arguing that its description of the Ten Commandments’ influence on American history distorted historical facts.
Similar laws in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas have faced federal court challenges.
In March, a federal judge permanently blocked enforcement of Arkansas’ law in several school districts, finding that it violated constitutional protections for religious freedom.
In April, a federal appeals court upheld Texas’ law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms.
The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review challenges to similar Ten Commandments display laws in Louisiana and Texas. Petitions in both states remain pending, and the justices have not announced whether they will hear the cases.
The outcome of the litigation could have implications for similar laws in Alabama and other states.