A coordinated push by religious groups is resulting in an explosion of legislation across the country that mandates the inclusion of “In God We Trust” in schools and other constitutionally dubious public religious expressions. With a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, activists are hoping any litigation will result in important judicial victories that serve as long-term precedents for the expansion of religion into the public sphere.
As the summer heat waxes and state legislative sessions wane, the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation has scored a few small but significant victories. This year, five state legislatures passed laws mandating that every public school prominently display the U.S. motto, “In God We Trust.” The addition of Arkansas, which passed such a law in 2017, brings to six the number of states with public school mandates, including Alabama, Florida, Arizona, Louisiana and Tennessee.
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