Keep god out of Arizona schools!

Please take action today to keep a religious message out of Arizona’s secular, public schools.

Tell Arizona lawmakers to vote against a bill that would encourage schools to put the phrase “God Enriches” in every public school classroom in the state. Use our new automated system to help defeat this theocratic bill.

Next Monday, March 5, the Arizona House Education Committee will consider SB 1289, a bill that would encourage every public school in the state to place the phrase “Ditat Deus,” which means “God Enriches,” in every school building. Even though the phrase is, disgracefully, the state motto, there is no question of this bill’s religious intent. While many are calling for real-world solutions to protect public schools from real-world problems, this bill reflects the views of many lawmakers that their god will solve these problems.

Arizona law already encourages schools to violate their students’ freedom of conscience by posting the phrase “In God We Trust,” as well as “excerpts” of documents that all have a specifically Christian theme, such as the Mayflower Compact. Virtually identical laws have landed school districts in legal trouble when teachers incorrectly thought they were permitted to promote religion through these displays under the guise of patriotism. This is precisely the intent of SB 1289.

Please take action TODAY to oppose this attempt to insert religion into Arizona public schools. The House Education Committee will consider this bill on Monday, so they need to hear your voice right away. Please call or email these lawmakers and urge them to vote against SB 1289.

Enter your information to take action now!

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Please encourage others to act by sharing on social media or by writing letters to the editor.

As a concerned Arizona resident, I'm calling to urge the House Education Committee to strongly oppose SB 1289, which is scheduled for consideration by the committee on Monday, March 5. Even though “Ditat Deus” is our state motto, it carries a clear religious message that has no place in our secular public schools.

This bill’s attempt to add yet another religious display to is a clearly religious goal that is anathema to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and marginalizes the 21 percent of young Americans who are either atheist or agnostic. These students do not believe that they are “enriched” by any gods, and no message to the contrary should be expressed to them by their government.

Public schools are facing real problems that demand real solutions, not prayers or trusting in a god. Placing a Latin phrase meaning “God Enriches” in public schools especially alongside “In God We Trust,” sends the message that we can offer students no help other than prayers.

I urge the committee to vote against SB 1289 on Monday.