'In God We Trust' Poster Campaign

What One Person Can Do…

Getting the National Motto of the United States of America in local public school classrooms

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Although thousands of public school districts across America have posted copies of our national motto "In God We Trust" on classroom walls, many administrators still refuse to do so. Many times, patriotic citizens offer to donate framed copies of the national motto to their local school, only to be turned away by the superintendent or principal.

This guide is designed to help you understand their reasoning, why they are misinformed, and, how you can educate and influence your local school to post the national motto.

A word of wisdom to the wise: The posting of the national motto should always reflect a patriotic viewpoint, rather than a religious one. This approach will greatly increase your ability to be successful.

APPROACHING THE SCHOOL

AFA offers these first steps in introducing the "In God We Trust" poster to your local school official:

1. Check to see if your state legislature has passed a law or resolution encouraging the posting of the national motto in your state. CLICK HERE to check for your state law.



2. Make an appointment to visit your local school superintendent in his office. Let him know you would like to meet with him for a few minutes and present a gift of appreciation for his service to public education.



3. Prepare the motto in an attractive frame, suitable for an office display. Enlist a few friends to attend with you. These should be civic and business leaders or parents, if possible.



4. In your presentation to the superintendent, extol the patriotism expressed in the motto, giving a brief history of its adoption. Express your desire to fulfill a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24, 2000, to place the national motto in public buildings throughout the nation. If your state has a law, share a printed copy to the superintendent. Offer to hang the framed poster in the superintendent's office before you leave.



5. Respecfully request permission to make framed copies available for principals and teachers who would like to place the motto in their office or classroom.

Many superintendents will readily accept your gracious offer and discuss arrangements to have them delivered. However, some may have been negatively influenced by liberal groups like the ACLU.

A TYPICAL RESPONSE

The most common objection raised by school officials is, "We don't want to get sued" or "It's against the law."

For decades, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has used the "separation of church and state" argument to instill fear in school boards and their attorneys. Any mention of the word "God" is considered taboo and immediately rejected by some public educators.

Unfortunately, uneducated lawyers for the school district suggest the school distance itself from anything that might be perceived as "religious." So ingrained in public education is the ACLU rhetoric, schools cower in fear at the mention of their name.

THE ACLU FEAR MACHINE - A toothless tiger

For too long, the ACLU has used a mythical "separation of church and state" argument to drive the knowledge of God out of our classrooms.

At one time, the ACLU had threatened to sue officials displaying the posters. However, Carrie Moss, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the ACLU, conceded that fighting the issue would be difficult. According to The Kalamazoo Gazette, Moss said, "It’s language (In God We Trust) that has been upheld by the Supreme Court for our money: they decided it didn’t necessarily promote any religion, so I think it would be difficult to make an issue about."

And so it goes...the ACLU has lost its taste for the hunt and has conceded they have no chance of defeating the national motto in court.

What next?

If your school administrator declines your offer, politely ask him to place your name on the agenda of the next school board meeting. Let the superintendent know that you would like to present your petition to the entire board. As a taxpayer, you have the privilege and right of addressing the school board members in a public forum.

If the administrator declines your request, contact the AFA Center for Law and Policy immediately at 662-680-3886.

Addressing the school board

Being prepared to speak before the school board will be an easy task if you are prepared. These tips should make the process go smoothly:

1. Download and print all available information about the national motto from the AFA website at www.afa.net/igwt. Make additional copies of the Treasury Department's fact sheet entitled The History of In God We Trust, the news article Judge OKs 'In God We Trust' poster, and Is It Legal To Display The National Motto In Public Buildings?



2. Recruit parents and friends to attend the school board meeting, with some prepared to speak in support of your efforts. Make informational "postcards" about the issue and pass them out to others, encouraging them to take a few extra for their friends.



3. Write a letter to the editor of the local paper a week before the meeting, explaining the issue and asking the public to attend the school board meeting in support of your campaign.



4. When speaking to the school board members, you are asking them to allow teachers and administrators who choose, to display the national motto as a patriotic symbol of our nation. Remind them you are not asking for the posting to be required by the board, only allowed.



5. If a question of legallity is initiated by a school board member, hand each member a copy of the Congressional resolution and be prepared to cite and present court cases that uphold posting the motto in public buildings. If your state has a law regarding the motto, present each member with a copy.

If the school board ultimately decides to reject your offer, it is their privilege and authority to do so.

When all else fails

Public opinion (outrage) and school board elections offer alternatives to getting the motto posted in public school classrooms. This may require you to establish an organized community group. Contact AFA for additional ways to achieve success.

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