By Mary Kuhlman
Public News Service
A leading civil rights group says a new effort to have the motto “In God, We Trust” displayed in Kentucky’s public schools is just the latest in a string of attempts to bring religion into the classroom.
State Rep. Brandon Reed (R) of Hodgenville has pre-filed a bill that would require public schools to display the motto in a location of prominence, such as a hallway or cafeteria.
“In God We Trust” has been considered the national motto since 1956. (Photo by Kevin Dooley/Flickr)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky says it is ready to fight back, and its communications director, Amber Duke, says there’s a trend in Kentucky of using a governmental position to further religious beliefs.
“This is sort of a theme with the General Assembly,” she states. “We’ve seen Bible literacy classes. The governor has declared the Year of the Bible for a couple of years in a row in the state of Kentucky. Legislators proposed days of prayer for Kentucky students.”
Duke notes that an Open Records Act investigation last year discovered public school teachers in Kentucky using the Bible to impart religious life lessons, which falls short of constitutionally allowed academic and objective study of the Bible for historical context or literary value.
Reed says “In God We Trust” has been the country’s national motto for more than a half century, and would help send a positive message to students as they enter a school building.
Duke says all Kentuckians have a right to religious freedom, but no student should be made to feel like an outsider. She says the classroom is for teaching, not preaching.
“Religious ideals and beliefs and the study of religious texts and prayer is something that should be left to parents and churches and not government or school officials,” she stresses.
Duke adds the ACLU will be opposing the measure as it’s considered in the 2019 legislature. Tennessee and Florida passed similar laws this year.
No student should feel like an outsider in class, their words. What about the students who believe in God, Jesus, and the Bible, who, when they practice their religion in school is either told they cannot by administrators or is threatened by the state. Just look at the recent Texas case where cheerleaders had to sue a school system because the cheerleaders wanted to display religious messages on their run through banners at football games. We say its about the students choice. It is a TWO way street. You cannot have it both ways.
It’s about time we as Christians present a united front and remove the teaching of evolution from all schools. If that is done then the battle would be almost won. The biggest problem is evolution!
“The biggest problem is evolution” Evolution did lead to you so you are kind of right.
Margo, you’ve just made a statement of belief! Are you aware of that?
There is absolutely NO scientific support for a belief in abiogenesis, only rank speculation sprinkled with fear, doubt and uncertainty.
Which beggars the question – if life cannot originate from non-living materials all by itself via random chemical or physical processes, then how can evolution carry on from there?
Both ideas requires that abstract entities like information and purpose be produced by purely materialistic processes. How on earth is that possible?
A belief in abiogenesis and evolution is by sheer blind faith in naturalistic miracles. It is the substance of humanist religion.