Democratic senators from Minnesota are offended by bill to put 'In God We Trust' posters in schools

Two Democratic state senators from Minnesota – Scott Dibble and John Marty – are opposed to a bill asking schools to display a poster with the words “In God We Trust.”

Republican Sen. Dan Hall sponsored the bill in an attempt to help bring respect back to schools, he told “Fox & Friends" on Sunday.

What gave Hall the idea?

“I only assume that if you take those things out of government, if you take the things that are respectful out, you're going to put in something different,” Hall said. “We need to bring respect back to our country.”

Private funds would be used to pay for the posters.

But Dibble and Marty argue that the posters could be viewed as "offensive."

“The money in my wallet has to say 'In God We Trust.' I think that's offensive,” Marty said on the state Senate floor, Fox News reported.

Did one of them ask what about "Allah" instead?

"I'm wondering if Sen. Hall would feel the same if students walked in and instead of the word 'God' the word 'Allah,' which is the word for God in the Muslim religion — welcomes students to their schools," Dibble said.

A state Senate committee on Tuesday held an informational hearing on the bill, WCCO-TV reported.

Hall said the pushback is just more evidence of an “anti-faith” movement in the country.

“To suppress anything that is religious in any way and wipe it out,” is how he described it to “Fox & Friends.”

Hall told WCCO: “God and country is no longer lifted up in a place of honor like it once was. And in part, it seems to be eliminated from our schools. There are those who are afraid to even bring up God and country in our schools.”

Other critics, among them an atheists group, claim the posters would violate the separation of church and state, the TV station reported.

“It’s not the state’s business, and it’s not the school’s business, to be taking sides in this very personal decision,” August Berkshire of Minnesota Athiests said.

Minnesota already requires schools to display an American flag and to say the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week, according to the report.