The school districts of Bentonville and Pea Ridge will soon have "In God We Trust" posters displayed in classrooms after the implementation of a law enacted in April 2017.
State Representative Jim Dotson proposed the law during the last legislative session. The law requires the display of the United States motto "In God We Trust" in any public building that is maintained with state funds. However, the posters can only be put up if it has been donated to the building.
"We need to be aware of our American history, our heritage, our culture," Dotson said in an interview with CBS affiliate KFSM. "Our national motto is something that is posted on many buildings, monuments throughout our country and all of our currency."
"In God We Trust" became the official motto after the United States Congress passed an act in 1956. Before that act, "E pluribus unum" was considered to be the national motto.
Dotson hopes the poster will provide students with "a good conscience while in school."
"Our culture of violence is being shown all around and I think it's something that hopefully students will be able to see on the walls and know that our country was founded on something better," he said.
In a statement, the ACLU of Arkansas said the posters would impact "parental autonomy" and that "parents have a right to control their children's religious upbringing."
"This isn't about heritage or history," said David Silverman, president of American Atheists, in a press release. "This is about sneaking tributes to their god into our public schools. We will not allow atheists or members of minority religious groups to be made to feel like second-class citizens in Arkansas."
The American Legion Post 77 raised over $1,500 to buy more than 1,000 posters for the two school districts. The plan is to put the posters in every classroom and library.