by Brendan Farrington,
TALLAHASSEE - While schools around the country may be forced to hang "In God We Trust" on their walls, the Clay County superintendent didn't wait for a new law before hanging the motto in classrooms.
About 1,300 framed mottos, with a waving flag in the background, have gone up in Superintendent David Owens' schools, all donated by residents. He expects another 500 will be distributed so every classroom has one in this county just southwest of Jacksonville.
Hattiesburg High School student Taneisha Davis hangs an "In God We Trust" poster on a classroom wall at the school, May 21, 2001, in Hattiesburg, Miss. In a movement that gained momentum with the after-Sept. 11 surge in patriotism, several states have passed or are considering legislation to post the motto "In God We Trust" in schools. AP photo by Barry Beard/Hattiesburg American
"With things that are facing us today, like terrorism, I think we need a pulling together of this country," Owens said. "If putting these mottos in the schools can help build patriotism, it has served its purpose."
Whether the motive is a wave of patriotism following Sept. 11 or a move to bring religion to the classroom, Florida and several other states have passed or are considering legislation to place "In God We Trust" in schools.
The motto was first placed on coins in 1864 after many people encouraged the U.S. Treasury to recognize God during the Civil War. In 1955, Congress passed a bill to have the motto placed on paper currency and it first appeared on bills two years later.
In 1956, Congress passed a resolution declaring "In God We Trust" the national motto. It has since withstood at least three federal court challenges, including a 1996 ruling by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. The decision was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the court did not hear the case.
"It's been tested for its constitutionality in federal court," said Michigan Rep. Stephen Ehardt, R-Lexington. "It is secular. It's not a religious statement and it's something we should be proud of - it's our national motto."
The motto movement began with a push in Mississippi by the American Family Association, a fundamentalist Christian group in Tupelo, Miss. Mississippi lawmakers passed a law about a year ago, well before Sept. 11, that requires the motto to be placed in every classroom.
The organization has since asked its 200,000 members from all 50 states to contact lawmakers and push for similar laws.
Michigan passed a law in December that makes it clear that the motto can be hung in schools. Florida, Utah, Arizona, Virginia, Louisiana and New Jersey are considering similar legislation, while an "In God We Trust" bill in Indiana died in committee this month.
"America has a rich Christian, and really religious heritage," said Tim Wildmon, the group's vice president. "If the president of the United States can be sworn in by placing his hand on the Holy Bible, certainly kids can know what the national motto is."
Opponents complain that lawmakers are using patriotism as a veiled attempt to bring religion into schools.
"There are a lot of other things that are much less divisive that we suggest they could use," said Emily Whitfield, a spokeswoman for the American Civil Liberties Union in New York. "George Bush said in our State of the Union address that our national motto should be 'Let's Roll.' Maybe we should put that up there."
The ACLU has spoken against the measure in several states, though it has admitted that it probably would not win a challenge of the laws.
Marc Stern, legal director for the Washington-based American Jewish Conference, said he's concerned that the classroom requirement "will serve as a launching pad for further intrusion."
"If people are taking advantage of Sept. 11 to begin to re-fight the battle over whether the schools ought to be an institution charged with religious instruction, then that's a most unfortunate exploitation of the tragedies," said Stern, whose organization is not fighting the bills.
Florida Rep. Mike Hogan, R-Jacksonville, said he sponsored the bill to require schools to prominently display the motto because of heightened patriotism since Sept. 11.
Utah Rep. Richard Siddoway, R-Bountiful, said patriotism also inspired his bill to require every school to post "In God We Trust" in some form.
"If you're going to have to get rid of any mention of God and religion, you're going to have to get rid of the Declaration of Independence and you're going to have to get rid of the national anthem and, of course, the Pledge of Allegiance," he said.
Some lawmakers are not denying critics' charges.
"They can say it's patriotic and not religious, but it is a religious bill," said Indiana Rep. Jerry Denbo, D-French Lick, whose bill to let schools hang the motto died in committee this year. "I'm not trying to hide that."
Hogan said there is a long history of government mentioning God without associating the deity to a particular religion, but admits some people are angry about his bill.
"We've had some very stinging letters from atheists and several letters from Jewish people who are very upset," Hogan said. "The atheists I pretty much suspected would be opposed to it ... they consider God to be a fantasy. But the Jewish people, that kind of surprised me."
He said Jews also believe in God and noted the motto doesn't say "In Jesus Christ We Trust."
"I think it goes back to a fear that they have that it may be the first nibble to start repressing their rights," he said. "I never thought of it in those terms, but that's the only thing I can conjure up in my mind as to why they might be opposed."