Fact Check: Did the U.S. Red States mandate all public schools to display "In God We Trust"? Viral claim debunked

Many social media platforms have been filled with the claims that the US Red States have made it mandatory for all public schools to display the motto “In God We Trust.” The news started floating on Twitter on September 19, 2023, when a website, SpaceXMania, posted an article titled:

“Breaking: All Public Schools in the Red States Are Now Mandated to Display “In God We Trust”

The article stated:

“The intricate dance between education, politics, and religion in the U.S. has never been more pronounced. One recent turn in this ballet is the decision in red states — traditionally conservative or Republican-leaning regions — to mandate the display of “In God We Trust” in all public schools.”

Fake news debunked as many claimed that certain US States must have "In God We Trust" motto in Public Schools. (Image via SpaceXMania)

Basically, a Red State is one where the Republican party is more popular. As per Wise Voter, these are located in the South, Midwest, and Great Plains regions of the country. Some of the Red States in the United States are Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Utah.

The article was then posted by multiple users on Facebook, Twitter, and many other social media platforms, and was flooded with reactions from the masses who believed the news to be true. However, no such claims were made by any of the reliable media houses, or publications.

Moreover, seeing the website SpaceXMania, which posted the article, it can be seen how they post only satirical and fake news. The About section of the website also reads:

“At our website, we pride ourselves on offering a unique perspective on the world of space exploration. Our satirical articles provide a fresh and entertaining take on the latest space news, while our analysis delves deep into the technical, financial, and political aspects of space travel.”

Hence, the news about the US Red States making the motto “In God We Trust” mandatory in all public schools is fake and untrue. There is no such rule made by the government, and no such motto to be displayed is mandatory or compulsory in any public school.

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News about U.S. Red States mandating all public schools to display "In God We Trust" is fake

After the satirical website, SpaceXMania made the claims about US Red States mandating all public schools to display the motto “In God We Trust,” social media users fell prey as many believed that the news was true.

While none of the Red States have made it mandatory for the public schools to have any such motto, a few states like Louisiana, West Virginia, and Texas have made it mandatory for the public schools to display the national motto “In God We Trust.”

In Louisiana, the rule came into effect on August 1, 2023.

On the other hand, Texas too adopted the same, as all public campuses had posters and signages of the motto. The same was also introduced in August 2023.

The same bill was also passed in West Virginia in January 2023, and it became compulsory for all public schools to have the national motto “In God We Trust.”

While the displaying of the motto has become mandatory in many states, there is no such official announcement of the motto being mandatory in any US Red State.

This fake news instance once again highlights how it is crucial for netizens to first cross-check every piece of information, and then share it, so that misleading news is kept away from the platforms.