A new Louisiana law will require the U.S. national motto “In God We Trust” to be displayed in every public school classroom in the state.
The state legislature passed House Bill 8 in May and Gov. John Bel Edwards (D-LA) signed it into law in June. It finally took effect on Tuesday of this week.
The law mandates “each public school governing authority shall display the national motto in each building it uses and classroom in each school under its jurisdiction.”
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The legislature also set guidelines on how the national motto is to be displayed.
“The national motto shall be displayed on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches. The motto shall be the central focus of the poster or framed document and shall be printed in a large, easily readable font,” the law reads.
In addition, the measure does not force school boards to spend funding to purchase the displays. Each governing authority has the option to spend its funding or use donated funds to purchase displays and may accept donated displays.
Other states have passed similar laws to display the national motto in public facilities.
In 1954, the term “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance.
In 1955, Congress passed a federal law to require the national motto to be printed on all American currency. It had previously appeared on coins but was not required.
Then on July 30, 1956, the 84th Congress passed a joint resolution “declaring ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’ the national motto of the United States.” The resolution passed both the House and the Senate unanimously and without debate.
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