(WTAQ-WLUK) — “In God We Trust” has been the nation’s motto since 1956.
You can find it on dollar bills and loose change.
Now, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature want it displayed in public K-12 classrooms.
State Rep. Joy Goeben, R-Hobart said, “It’s about patriotism, sharing our history. It’s good, it’s good for our kids to know these things.”
Goeben is a co-author of the bill.
It would also require charter schools classrooms to display the motto, along with any public buildings.
“The patriotism of where did we come from? What things have we overcome to get to where we are now. I think that could be expressed by having, I think that again, it’s a conversation. Let’s talk about our history, why do we have that on our dollar bills,” said Goeben.
The motto could be displayed in the form of a poster, a framed document, or inscribed on a wall.
Groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation believe efforts like this violate the First Amendment.
“If these lawmakers wanted to be patriotic, they would go back to the original motto, E Pluribus Unum,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-Founder and Co-President of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. “It is clearly an attempt to force religion on everyone, especially the most impressionable, which is the captive audience of public school children,” she added.
In 2018, a federal court ruled the motto didn’t violate the Constitution.
Still, opponents believe lawmakers have no right to try and force classrooms to display the motto.
“We live under a godless constitution. There is no god or religion, or Ten Commandments in our U.S. Constitution. It gives sovereignty not to a deity but to we the people,” said Gaylor.
Other states have a similar law in place, including Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana.
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