Alabama lawmakers passed several bills aimed at reinforcing moral clarity and protecting children from ideological overreach. These measures include requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, prohibiting LGBT pride flags, and banning the use of pronouns that conflict with a student’s biological sex.
The Alabama House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed House Bill 178 in an 88-11 vote. This legislation would mandate that public K-12 schools display the Ten Commandments in visible locations such as entryways, classrooms, or cafeterias. Importantly, no taxpayer funds are required — schools may use donations to cover the costs.
Republican Rep. Mark Gidley, a former pastor and sponsor of the bill, emphasized that the Ten Commandments are foundational to American values and legal principles. “This is about returning foundational principles to schools to be taught,” Gidley stated, making it clear that the measure is rooted in historical, not religious, education.
The bill even requires the displays to include a note about how the Ten Commandments influenced the founding of the United States and Western civilization. “Teaching students about the Ten Commandments promotes historical understanding and helps to foster a common cultural heritage and awareness,” the bill reads.
On the same day, the House passed House Bill 244, which bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from pre-K through 12th grade. The bill also bars teachers from displaying LGBT pride flags and from using pronouns that don’t align with a student’s sex, reinforcing the rights of parents and promoting biological truth in the classroom.
Additionally, House Bill 67 would prohibit drag performances at public schools and libraries and ensure that children are not housed with members of the opposite sex during overnight programs without explicit parental consent.
Unsurprisingly, leftist organizations such as the ACLU opposed the Ten Commandments bill, claiming it is “unconstitutional.” But defenders of the measure argue it’s not about enforcing a religion — it’s about upholding the values that built the nation.
Even Democrat Rep. Patrick Sellers, who is also a pastor, crossed party lines to support the bill, acknowledging that it provides young people with much-needed moral direction. “That’s what’s missing in our schools. That’s what’s missing in our homes,” Sellers said.
Alabama joins a growing movement of conservative states like Arkansas and Louisiana that are standing up to secularism and embracing America’s faith-based heritage. Arkansas recently passed a similar law under Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and though Louisiana’s law was temporarily blocked by a federal court, momentum is clearly building.
With these bills, Alabama is making it clear: schools should be a place of learning and moral development, not ideological experimentation. These commonsense laws honor parents’ rights, protect children, and reaffirm the Judeo-Christian foundations that have long served as the moral compass of this country.
