Kentucky School District Finds A Brilliant Loophole For The “In God We Trust” Law By Framing A One-Dollar Bill
When you’re a lawmaker, you have no other choice than to sort out all of the nuances of the laws that you’re preparing to enact before they actually hit the public. Otherwise, there’s going to be a group of people who will look at it from a “think outside the box” perspective and will find loopholes to take advantage of.
Now, sometimes it’s a serious case that requires repeals and amendments to the legalese, but in other instances, it can be quite harmless and even interestingly funny.
If a law requires you to put up a “In God We Trust” sign in your school, a dollar bill works, right?
Image credits: Brittany Pike
Last year, Kentucky State passed a law that requires all public elementary and secondary schools to display the national motto of the United States—“In God We Trust”—in a prominent location somewhere in the school building. This law was filed by Brandon Reed, a State Representative and Republican Minister from Hodgenville.
It was explained that a prominent location can be a school entryway, cafeteria, or any other common area where students are likely to see the motto. Also, schools were allowed to choose the form in which the motto would be displayed, and it is not limited to being a mounted plaque or even student artwork.
Due to a lack of proper wording in the legislation itself, schools were effectively left with near-full liberty to do whatever they wanted in meeting this law. So a number of schools in Fayette County, Kentucky decided to frame and hang a pristine one dollar bill in whatever “prominent location” they found best suited for this.
Surprisingly, it does, as a number of schools did so because the law technically permitted it with the dollar bill containing the famous motto in the center
Image credits: Josh Douglas
Image credits: Unknown
You see, besides the various imagery, symbolism, and writing printed on the one-dollar bill, the back side also contains the country’s motto “In God We Trust.” Since the law did not explain how big the writing should be, or what form it should come in, the schools thus decided to use the dollar bill as the medium for the public display of the motto.
Brittany Pike, a resident of Lexington, Fayette County, stumbled upon one such display and snapped a picture of it, which she later shared on her Facebook with the following caption:
“This school year, Kentucky began requiring schools to place ‘In God We Trust’ in the building. I absolutely love living in a school district that wants to follow the law while also ensuring EVERY student feels welcomed back regardless of religious beliefs. Thank you so very much, Fayette County Public Schools, for simply posting a dollar with ‘In God We Trust.’ My kids don’t feel awkward or excluded for not believing in any God.”
Due to a lack of proper wording, the law has also permitted a number of other artistic interpretations, and it’s not just in Kentucky
Image credits: Katy Urban/Rapid City Area Schools
Image credits: Simons Middle School in Flemingsburg.
This does pull up a good point: while it’s all fine and dandy to be proud of who you are and of your faith, this does come off as forcing religion in a country that gives full liberty to decide whether to be a person of faith (and also which faith) or not.
Regardless, you should hand it to the schools—it was quite an interesting move to venture away from the beaten path of plaques and student posters and to conform to the written letter, but not really the spirit, of what the law requires.
This also gives way for much more interpretation and an outlet for the schools’ stance on the motto: is it a form of protest and an allusion to a free America, or is it the schools’ way of saying that their students are #1 and their teachers need a raise?
While some schools involved their students, others took the lazy way out and just put up a printout
Image credits: Trey Crumbie
Image credits: Green County High School
Representative Brandon Reed has since then heard of the news and has said that he was not surprised to see schools taking the “loophole way out” by doing the minimum. He elaborated that this was OK, but it was just sad to see, as this is the nation’s motto, after all, and there is nothing to be ashamed of.
The dollar bill soon began making headlines when a resident of Lexington, Fayette County posted it on her Facebook
Image credits: Trey Crumbie
A number of other schools also took liberties (albeit more conservative) to display the country’s motto, which you can find featured in this article. But before you check them out, why not let us know what your thoughts are on this? If you were a school rep, how would you have your school comply with this law? Let us know in the comments section below!
Image credits: Larue County High School
Rep. Brandon Reed expected this and said it was OK, but it was also sad that schools willingly decided to put up a dollar bill instead of giving it a proper representation
Image credits: Monroe County Area Technology Center
Public schools should be secular, since they are tax payer funded. If they are allowed to do this then other religions should be able to put up things as well like "In Ganesh we trust, In Satan we trust, or in Thor we serve." These laws are just the conservative Christians trying to slowly turn our secular republic to a theocracy.
I'd send my kids to the Thor version on the back of a Sleipnir ride for sure!
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It's a "relatively" new motto...stemming only back to 1956. The original motto of "E Pluribus Unum" (from many, one) was far superior.
Yes, "From many one" is so meaningful: From many states one nation, from many individuals one community , from many people one society. Beats: "In god we trust" by miles.
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It's not compliant with the first amendment in that Kentucky state Congress made a law abridging the freedom of non-Christians to not be subjected to this kind of drivel. The Flying Spaghetti Monster calls for us Pastafarians to dress as pirates, therefore I require yall to do so starting now. Comply or walk the plank, mateys!
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I'm Catholic, and I don't think schools should have to have that motto displayed. Separation of church and state is important.
Amen. The sh*t that goes on in Poland is a perfect example. They merge church and politics. Irks me when I see the news about stuff like this.
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This is perfect! If people are going to worship Mammon, the god of money, it is great that they are being so open about it.
Just keep forcing that religious dogma on people. It is the land of the free, after all. "You are free to do what we tell you, America." (Bill Hicks)
"Rep. Brandon Reed [who filed the law] expected this and said it was OK, but it was also sad that schools willingly decided to put up a dollar bill instead of giving it a proper representation." Actually, Rep. Reed, what is sad is that you impose your beliefs on others. For decades, Republican citizens and Republican politicians have been chipping away at the separation of church and state, a separation set forth in the Constitution.
This 100 percent is breaking the rule about schools not directly associating with religion...
I' m not american, so ist is none of my business what they have chosen as motto. Personally, I don' t trust in god , I am convinced that god(s) doesn' t/ don't exist(s). So I would feel left out if I was an American.
I used to be catholic until Christians shoved their version of Christianity in my face constantly. The Catholics as a kid didn't do it, mainly the adult Baptist and Pentecostal people I've been around. Very judgemental people. Pushed me so far from Christianity so fast. Being Catholic made me open minded, though. My Catholic school taught me to question everything. That is how you learn. Now I'm agnostic. I think anything and everything is possible.
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And again some part of the US is taking a giant leap into the past. The US has invented a time machine with just one flaw: Every time they use it some parts of the US move back 100 years in time. Some states are now even already back in the days of the civil war...
I agree. Schools should not be required to put the word god anywhere.
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"We conservatives believe in small government"......."here are the religious mantras we will force you to display in all your secular schools".... How's that work then?
I think it's pretty sad. Those two should never be together- schools and religions! Nothing about it says 'freedom'.
Trusting the God created by our current "Christians" has not worked out well.
I doubt you've ever even looked at Christianity and never have even gave it a chance so don't be hating us believe what u want to believe it's a free country that's all I'm saying
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Why did my Republican Party allow itself to be taken over by religious zealots??? (Rhetorical question, I know the answer....votes.) But this is NOT small government. This is BIG government - legislating what words have to be hung in a school. Real Republicans want no part of this foolishness. We want the government to stop interfering in every detail of our lives.
I live in Fayette County, was furious when Kentucky said that this motto had to be displayed. I love our superintendent's response with the dollar bill and wrote to tell him so. Sadly, we are the state that has given the world Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. I am so sorry. I promise no one I know will admit to voting for either of them.
In current times, may I suggest to change the American slogan to "In vaccines we trust".
There are a lot of things I trust more than unprovable gods. I trust in mothers. I trust in grandmothers. I trust in science. I trust in beer.
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Very true. That's why gods seem to often times have the same traits as the humans that created them. The god of the bible has some very human traits. He's petty, vain, jealous, vengeful, wrathful, tribalistic, boastful, prideful, needs constant worship, etc.
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So much for the separation of church and state. Although it's no surprise this is in Kentucky.
It's against the first amendment but whatever. I'm sure the FFRF is gonna reverse all that shortly. Disgusting overzealous "Christians".
I am bloody sick of these moron pushing their c**p on everyone. And I'm tired of the waste of good tax dollars defending policies like this so some dumb a*s politician can make his/her local career. I think everyone one of these chuckleheads passes a law like this, the state should lose its federal funding. Maybe then the local yokels will focus on policies that actually help their state
Keep in mind that we're talking about Kentucky. They still think cavemen rode dinosaurs.
I find it interesting that they believe the earth is only 6000 years old and the bible is literally the word of god and yet no mention of dinosaurs. I mean a huge monster with sharp teeth and little arms that eats meat or a really long necked gigantic creature never made it in there. You'd think someone would want to tell that story! But they believe in talking snakes, whales swallowing a human and not digesting him, talking burning bushes, people living to 900 years old (although historians have debunked this by showcasing they counted differently, it was probably closer to 70/80 years old) and seas parting so people can travel through it. And then they flipped out at a book about a magical school.
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"This also gives way for much more interpretation and an outlet for the schools’ stance on the motto: is it a form of protest and an allusion to a free America, or is it the schools’ way of saying that their students are #1 and their teachers need a raise?" ... or/and a critic of consumerism and that the real and not so secret motto of the USA is "In capitalism we trust" ... or/and a protest of that motto being printed on the money
and what if you are athiest or jewish or another religion hmmm what about the frickin FIRST AMENDMENT i mean this is ridiculous
I love the one that states that, “In God we trust” was only AFTER 1956! 💕
I don't think it's supposed to be a religious thing; It's the nation's motto!
So wait, conservative Christians were bitching that having to stay home to prevent all of us from killing each other with a contagious virus and not be allowed to go to a 45 minute church service was against their 1st amendment right. But we're pushing 1 religion into taxpayer funded public schools. That is...well I'll keep that word to myself. I still laugh at putting the word God on money. Cause that's not vain in any way. Also Joe McCarthy would be rolling in his grave knowing that red Russia hacked our election and 1 party, his party, welcomes it. Also "under God" was included to the pledge of allegiance around that time. It's like the founding fathers didn't want God corrupting our democracy and freedom. Freedom of something, I forget the word.
Idk, but after experiencing the first part of 2020 I'm.notvinclined to trust the dude that much at the moment...
Because we don't have handheld cash that does not say it. We can't make our own money...And if someone found peace in worshipping Satan peacefully would you allow them to write "in Satan I trust" on new money or school halls? You would have a fit. Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. No need to shove it down people's throats, it's counter productive to do so. I am proof of that.
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Yes we are a secular nation, in the first amendment it says. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. We might be a majority Christian nation but that does not makes us a Christian nation. Plus it is a waste of school resources to put something that promotes 1 religion over others in every school.
Load More Replies...
Public schools should be secular, since they are tax payer funded. If they are allowed to do this then other religions should be able to put up things as well like "In Ganesh we trust, In Satan we trust, or in Thor we serve." These laws are just the conservative Christians trying to slowly turn our secular republic to a theocracy.
I'd send my kids to the Thor version on the back of a Sleipnir ride for sure!
Load More Replies... It's a "relatively" new motto...stemming only back to 1956. The original motto of "E Pluribus Unum" (from many, one) was far superior.
Yes, "From many one" is so meaningful: From many states one nation, from many individuals one community , from many people one society. Beats: "In god we trust" by miles.
Load More Replies... It's not compliant with the first amendment in that Kentucky state Congress made a law abridging the freedom of non-Christians to not be subjected to this kind of drivel. The Flying Spaghetti Monster calls for us Pastafarians to dress as pirates, therefore I require yall to do so starting now. Comply or walk the plank, mateys!
Load More Replies... I'm Catholic, and I don't think schools should have to have that motto displayed. Separation of church and state is important.
Amen. The sh*t that goes on in Poland is a perfect example. They merge church and politics. Irks me when I see the news about stuff like this.
Load More Replies... This is perfect! If people are going to worship Mammon, the god of money, it is great that they are being so open about it.
Just keep forcing that religious dogma on people. It is the land of the free, after all. "You are free to do what we tell you, America." (Bill Hicks)
"Rep. Brandon Reed [who filed the law] expected this and said it was OK, but it was also sad that schools willingly decided to put up a dollar bill instead of giving it a proper representation." Actually, Rep. Reed, what is sad is that you impose your beliefs on others. For decades, Republican citizens and Republican politicians have been chipping away at the separation of church and state, a separation set forth in the Constitution.
This 100 percent is breaking the rule about schools not directly associating with religion...
I' m not american, so ist is none of my business what they have chosen as motto. Personally, I don' t trust in god , I am convinced that god(s) doesn' t/ don't exist(s). So I would feel left out if I was an American.
I used to be catholic until Christians shoved their version of Christianity in my face constantly. The Catholics as a kid didn't do it, mainly the adult Baptist and Pentecostal people I've been around. Very judgemental people. Pushed me so far from Christianity so fast. Being Catholic made me open minded, though. My Catholic school taught me to question everything. That is how you learn. Now I'm agnostic. I think anything and everything is possible.
Load More Replies... And again some part of the US is taking a giant leap into the past. The US has invented a time machine with just one flaw: Every time they use it some parts of the US move back 100 years in time. Some states are now even already back in the days of the civil war...
I agree. Schools should not be required to put the word god anywhere.
Load More Replies... "We conservatives believe in small government"......."here are the religious mantras we will force you to display in all your secular schools".... How's that work then?
I think it's pretty sad. Those two should never be together- schools and religions! Nothing about it says 'freedom'.
Trusting the God created by our current "Christians" has not worked out well.
I doubt you've ever even looked at Christianity and never have even gave it a chance so don't be hating us believe what u want to believe it's a free country that's all I'm saying
Load More Replies... Why did my Republican Party allow itself to be taken over by religious zealots??? (Rhetorical question, I know the answer....votes.) But this is NOT small government. This is BIG government - legislating what words have to be hung in a school. Real Republicans want no part of this foolishness. We want the government to stop interfering in every detail of our lives.
I live in Fayette County, was furious when Kentucky said that this motto had to be displayed. I love our superintendent's response with the dollar bill and wrote to tell him so. Sadly, we are the state that has given the world Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. I am so sorry. I promise no one I know will admit to voting for either of them.
In current times, may I suggest to change the American slogan to "In vaccines we trust".
There are a lot of things I trust more than unprovable gods. I trust in mothers. I trust in grandmothers. I trust in science. I trust in beer.
Load More Replies... Very true. That's why gods seem to often times have the same traits as the humans that created them. The god of the bible has some very human traits. He's petty, vain, jealous, vengeful, wrathful, tribalistic, boastful, prideful, needs constant worship, etc.
Load More Replies... So much for the separation of church and state. Although it's no surprise this is in Kentucky.
It's against the first amendment but whatever. I'm sure the FFRF is gonna reverse all that shortly. Disgusting overzealous "Christians".
I am bloody sick of these moron pushing their c**p on everyone. And I'm tired of the waste of good tax dollars defending policies like this so some dumb a*s politician can make his/her local career. I think everyone one of these chuckleheads passes a law like this, the state should lose its federal funding. Maybe then the local yokels will focus on policies that actually help their state
Keep in mind that we're talking about Kentucky. They still think cavemen rode dinosaurs.
I find it interesting that they believe the earth is only 6000 years old and the bible is literally the word of god and yet no mention of dinosaurs. I mean a huge monster with sharp teeth and little arms that eats meat or a really long necked gigantic creature never made it in there. You'd think someone would want to tell that story! But they believe in talking snakes, whales swallowing a human and not digesting him, talking burning bushes, people living to 900 years old (although historians have debunked this by showcasing they counted differently, it was probably closer to 70/80 years old) and seas parting so people can travel through it. And then they flipped out at a book about a magical school.
Load More Replies... "This also gives way for much more interpretation and an outlet for the schools’ stance on the motto: is it a form of protest and an allusion to a free America, or is it the schools’ way of saying that their students are #1 and their teachers need a raise?" ... or/and a critic of consumerism and that the real and not so secret motto of the USA is "In capitalism we trust" ... or/and a protest of that motto being printed on the money
and what if you are athiest or jewish or another religion hmmm what about the frickin FIRST AMENDMENT i mean this is ridiculous
I love the one that states that, “In God we trust” was only AFTER 1956! 💕
I don't think it's supposed to be a religious thing; It's the nation's motto!
So wait, conservative Christians were bitching that having to stay home to prevent all of us from killing each other with a contagious virus and not be allowed to go to a 45 minute church service was against their 1st amendment right. But we're pushing 1 religion into taxpayer funded public schools. That is...well I'll keep that word to myself. I still laugh at putting the word God on money. Cause that's not vain in any way. Also Joe McCarthy would be rolling in his grave knowing that red Russia hacked our election and 1 party, his party, welcomes it. Also "under God" was included to the pledge of allegiance around that time. It's like the founding fathers didn't want God corrupting our democracy and freedom. Freedom of something, I forget the word.
Idk, but after experiencing the first part of 2020 I'm.notvinclined to trust the dude that much at the moment...
Because we don't have handheld cash that does not say it. We can't make our own money...And if someone found peace in worshipping Satan peacefully would you allow them to write "in Satan I trust" on new money or school halls? You would have a fit. Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. No need to shove it down people's throats, it's counter productive to do so. I am proof of that.
Load More Replies... Yes we are a secular nation, in the first amendment it says. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. We might be a majority Christian nation but that does not makes us a Christian nation. Plus it is a waste of school resources to put something that promotes 1 religion over others in every school.
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