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If “In God We Trust” signs are donated or purchased from private donors, these signs are required to be posted in Texas public schools, according to a newly passed law.
Senate Bill 797 states that public schools must “display in a conspicuous place in each building of the school or institution a durable poster or framed copy of the United States national motto, ‘In God We Trust.’”
Still, the bill explains that it must also “contain a representation of the United States flag centered under the national motto and a representation of the state flag; and…may not depict any words, images, or other information other than the representations listed in Subdivision (1).”
Texas Rep. Tom Oliverson said, “I think it reminds us that we are a nation that believes in a power greater than ourselves.”
Not everyone agrees with this point of view. A parent shared her concerns because not all children believe in the same God.
More on this story via Independent Journal Review:
The law comes a little more than a week after a school board in North Dakota reported that it is no longer saying the Pledge of Allegiance at meetings as members took issue with the word “God” in the pledge, as IJR reported.
“Given that the word ‘God’ in the text of the Pledge of Allegiance is capitalized,” board member Seth Holden said.
He added, “The text is clearly referring to the Judeo-Christian god and therefore, it does not include any other face such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, all of which are practiced by our staff and students at FPS.”
According to Holden, the pledge is a “non-inclusionary act.”
