By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
November 14, 2013
BOONE — “In God We Trust” posters offered to teachers by the American Legion and first rejected by the Watauga County Schools will now be allowed in classrooms.
Interim Superintendent David Fonseca told the Watauga Democrat that the school system will accept the gifts after considering a state law that not only allows such a display, but encourages the reading or posting of documents reflecting U.S. history and forbids school administrators from allowing “content-based censorship of American history in the public schools of the state, including religious references in these writings, documents, and records.”
Initially, the school system had forbidden teachers from displaying the posters, calling such a display a potential violation of the separation of church and state.
Now, officials have said the framed 16-by-20-inch posters which feature a flag background, the four-word motto and a sentence saying that it was adopted in 1956, will be placed in school offices and can be used in classrooms as well.
“We applaud the Watauga Schools for admitting their error and, more importantly, reversing the decision so that more students can learn about our nation’s motto,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “We also commend the American Legion for their efforts to spread the word and American Family Association for supplying many of the posters.”
Rick Cornejo, a Legion member and pastor of Mount Paran Baptist in Deep Gap, had addressed the school board about the rejection of the posters on Nov. 4. He told the media that the Legion wants to put the posters in businesses and other locations as well, but that schools are a primary target.
“I think our children kind of lack sometimes in their knowledge of history,” he added.
See Related Story: ‘In God We Trust’ Banned From Public Schools in Watauga County