The Illinois Legislature is considering a bill that would permit public schools in the state to display “In God We Trust” on school property. We need your help to ensure that young, impressionable students aren’t subject to religious proselytizing.
This bill, HB 217, is part of the nationwide legislative push known as Project Blitz. Project Blitz seeks to inject state legislatures with a whole host of religious bills, imposing the theocratic version of a powerful few on We The People. It is an unvarnished attack on American secularism and civil liberties — those things we cherish most about our democracy and now must tirelessly defend.
While politicians claim that these laws are intended to showcase the national motto or inspire patriotism, it is clear that their true purpose is to peddle religiosity to a captive audience. These laws are about advancing the Big Lie that the United States was “founded on God” or Christianity, dismantling the wall of separation between religion and government. The motto “In God We Trust” is inaccurate, exclusionary and aimed at brainwashing American schoolchildren into believing that our nation is a theocracy.
The Illinois House Elementary & Secondary Education on Administration, Licensing & Charter School Committee has a hearing scheduled on this bill tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3. Please use our automated system to contact all members of this committee and ask that they stop this bill in its tracks. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
You can also submit a witness slip in opposition to HB 217, as well as any other bill being considered at the hearing, at this website. Remember that doing so will be a public record, but it is your opportunity to publicly weigh in on pending bills.
