Louisiana’s new law requires that public schools display the phrase “In God We Trust”.
The law HB 8 went into effect Tuesday. It requires public schools to display the U.S. national motto — “In God we Trust” — in every classroom in every building.
According to the law, every public school system must “display the national motto on each building and in each classroom of each school within its jurisdiction.”
Louisiana has issued additional guidelines for the display of its national motto, including how it should be sized and composed.
The law states that “the nature of the display will be determined by the governing authorities, with the minimum requirement being that the national motto must be displayed on an 11″ x 14″ poster or frame document.” The motto must be the focal point of the poster, or frame document. It should be in a large and easily readable typeface.
The law doesn’t require schools to spend any money on displays and it allows them to donate funds or signs.
The bill was approved by the Democratic Governor in June. John Bel Edwards is part of the growing conservative movement in the United States to place the national motto at the center of civic life.
Florida, Arkansas, South Dakota, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Texas are just a few of the states that have passed laws requiring the display of the National Motto in public facilities.
The phrase “In God We Trust”, which appears on all U.S. banknotes, is a well-known one.
Some anti-religious groups have been suing the U.S. for years because they claim that the official use of the phrase is discriminatory against people with other beliefs.