How a 12-inch sign in South Dakota schools sparked national debate on religion in politics

South Dakota students are still weeks away from seeing "In God We Trust" displayed in their public schools, but the displays have already touched off a national debate.

Superintendents across the state are in various stages of implementing a new state law requiring all public school districts to create a display, on the district's dime, of the national motto in a prominent location at all of its schools. 

But on the national stage, a controversy has been playing out on social media and cable news shows over the state requiring public schools to have a display that invokes God. 

It began with a news story about the Rapid City school district's display and then spread to media outlets across the country, drawing the attention of celebrities, cable news personalities and national organizations on both sides of the issue.

'In God We Trust:'In God We Trust': Here's how Sioux Falls area schools are displaying national motto

"We should never be afraid to proclaim that we are one nation under God," Gov. Kristi Noem wrote while tweeting a Fox News story about the law on July 25. The national motto displays in the schools will provide "a humbling reminder of our country's faith tradition."

She received hundreds of responses to her statement on Twitter and Facebook. Those in support applauded her leadership and courage in doing "the right thing." Opponents argued that the law violated the separation of church and state, and questioned whose "faith tradition" was being promoted, as well as asking her to instead focus on increasing teacher salaries and improving student outcomes in the state.

Sen. Phil Jensen, the Rapid City Republican who sponsored the "In God We Trust" law, said he was surprised by the national attention South Dakota's new law received because a half-dozen other states already have the law on the books.

He's excited to see the creative ways the law will be implemented in South Dakota schools. The national motto has historical significance, and it needs to be acknowledged as such, he said. He added that he hopes when students return to school this fall, they recognize it for what it is: "the historical significance of our country's freedoms and what we're founded on."

Where the 'In God We Trust' law originated

Jensen's original bill to require schools to have a display was quickly changed by a Senate committee to allow rather than mandate the display. It remained as such until the House reverted it back to a requirement during the final weeks of session.

In making his case for the law during session, Jensen explained that "a nation that trusts God" is the United States' legacy and history. Displaying the national motto in schools won't eliminate the state's problems, but it could "offer a flicker of hope" to a child who is struggling, he said.

Jensen's decision to introduce the legislation came after seeing "In God We Trust" window decals on vehicles around Rapid City.

He said he found out the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation has been working to implement laws in all 50 states requiring schools to display "In God We Trust" and he invited them to join him in pursuing the legislation in South Dakota.

There's several different versions floating around state legislatures of "In God We Trust" model bills — legislation written by a special interest group that is then introduced in multiple state to advance the group's agenda. The law passed by South Dakota legislators is nearly identical to legislation introduced in Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee requiring "In God We Trust" in schools. Two other versions of the bills have made their way into a dozen other state Legislatures in recent years. 

More:Special interests have written dozens of South Dakota bills and laws in the last decade

"In God We Trust" model bills are part of the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation's "Project Blitz" legislative playbook that includes model bills on topics such as requiring schools to teach about the Old and New Testament, favoring sex between married men and women, and talking points against laws that add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to civil rights laws.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, is wary of the group's intention with the "In God We Trust" model bills.

"They want to pass this and then proceed to more onerous things. They're going with the symbols first because it's harder to sue over a national motto," she said.

Critics say law confuses patriotism with piety

South Dakota's new law has caught the eye of Gaylor's Wisconsin-based foundation, which frequently files lawsuits to remove "In God We Trust" from money and buildings.

The foundation released a statement describing the law as confusing patriotism with piety and part of an attack that imposes a "theocratic vision of a powerful few on We The People." It's statement also argued that using "In God We Trust" as a national motto is "inaccurate, exclusionary and aimed at brainwashing American schoolchildren into believing that our nation is a theocracy."

"In God We Trust" became the national motto in the 1950s, replacing "E Pluribus Unum" or "out of many, one" that was favored by the founding fathers, according to Gaylor. She added that the use of "In God We Trust" as the national motto is unconstitutional and divisive. 

"It's not even accurate. To be accurate, it would say, 'In God Some Of Us Trust,' which would be a perfectly ridiculous motto," Gaylor said. "The founders of this country created a Constitution that is godless and so this godly motto has miseducated generations of Americans into believing God has something to do with our government."

In the arguments playing out on social media in the last week, some have questioned whether South Dakota's law violates the separation of church of state.

Jensen said he's not concerned about lawsuits because the law includes a clause requiring the state attorney general to defend the law if a school district is sued, and the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation will also step in to defend a state pro bono over the inclusion of "In God We Trust" in schools.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is contemplating a lawsuit over South Dakota's law, although Gaylor notes it would depend on South Dakota families coming forward with their concerns. She said they've heard from South Dakotans who didn't know the law was being considered this year, and she encourages residents to contact their elected officials to express their opinions. 

"Bad laws can be repealed," she concluded.

School officials expect pushback, but not much

School districts are abiding by the state law and, given the focus the law has received in recent weeks, there will likely be discussions occurring in school districts when students return this fall, said Wade Pogany, executive director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota.

"It may be a good opportunity to talk about separation of church and state and First Amendment rights and freedom of religion," Pogany said. "I would guess there will be an opportunity to use it as a teachable moment to talk about the issue."

Some superintendents said they expect some pushback on the displays when students return to school while others aren't expecting much reaction — mostly because residents understand that it's being mandated by the state.

Sioux Falls' laminated posters include facts about the country, state and city to invoke that "we're all together in this," Superintendent Brian Maher said. Residents are aware it's a state law, but the district's focus on inclusiveness on its posters is why he doesn't believe there'll be much reaction.

"It doesn't stray one little bit from the inclusive structure that we've tried to put together in our schools," Maher said. "I don't think one poster can increase or decrease what your culture truly is."

Rapid City students appeared before the school board in May to request that the district use an alternative sign that includes more religions, but the board felt like it couldn't stray from the state law's requirements to accommodate that request, district spokeswoman Katy Urban said.

After the photo of Rapid City's stenciled display went national as media outlets reported the story, Rapid City district staff has been hearing concerns and monitoring the comments on news sites and social media, Urban said.

"At the same time, specifically in western South Dakota, this is a fairly conservative community so there's plenty of support for it, but there's just as much concern as support from students, from staff, from community members alike," she said.

West Central Superintendent Brad Berens said he hasn't heard any concerns yet, but he anticipates that some students and families aren't aware that the state is mandating it. In Dell Rapids, Superintendent Summer Schultz said she's not expecting a negative reaction because the signs will fit in well with the community.

'Indoctrinating' children or inspiring hope?

A July 24 story appearing in the Rapid City Journal about the implementation in its local school district was picked up by the Associated Press, and the story spread via social media across the country.  

On social media, Jonathan Van Ness of "Queer Eye" tweeted that there were unofficial reports that South Dakota was changing it's name to Gilead, the location of the dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale." On the flip side, evangelist Franklin Graham tweeted his congratulations on the new law, saying, "The only hope for the future of our nation is in Almighty God."

Some people tweeted that the new law was "Christian privilege" and questioned how Christians would feel if the phrase "In Allah We Trust" was required to posted on a school wall. A meme began circulating on social media that altered a photo of "In God We Trust" on a school wall to read that forcing God onto other people's children in public schools is pleasing a political base instead of serving God by example and efforts to "indoctrinate" children in violation of the country's Establishment Clause will go unpunished because of religious privilege.

Appearing on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" show to discuss South Dakota's law, Republican politician Mike Huckabee said he had only one problem with South Dakota's law: legislators made it an unfunded mandate by not providing the money to pay for implementing the requirement. Meanwhile, on the Fox Business channel, Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce said the law makes a statement that faith and God in the public sphere have been "under attack."

"We must push back on these leftists. We must show them that we will not be cowed into silence," Bruce said. Show host Lou Dobbs responded, "Very simply, God belongs in our public square. This idea that freedom to not believe in God means others don't have the freedom to express their belief in God — it's mindless and un-American."