Deplorable:
Iowa House Republicans passed legislation on Wednesday that would require schools to teach a list of social studies concepts developed by a conservative think tank that focus on the “cultural heritage of western civilization” and emphasizes a positive view of U.S. history.
House File 2544 passed in the House largely along party lines on Wednesday, 58-37. Three Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against the bill.
The language in the bill was modeled by the Civics Alliance, an offshoot of the conservative nonprofit National Association of Scholars. The group advocates for a curriculum designed to emphasize conservative values, western civilization and capitalism in civics education and push out instruction on critical race theory, diversity, equity and inclusion, and social justice.
The bill includes requirements to teach students about the structure of the U.S. government, the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, and a range of concepts, people and events in U.S. history, including the flag and national anthem, the country’s founding documents and figures like Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass. The requirements would apply to both public and private schools.
In grades one through six, instruction would include the institutions of liberty that “emphasizes the good, worthwhile and best achievements of these ideals.”
Starting in seventh grade, schools would need to teach about “the study of and devotion to the United States’ exceptional and praiseworthy history.”
In grades seven and eight, the bill would require instruction on the early colonies, the Revolutionary War, the westward expansion of the U.S., the first and second world wars, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Sept. 11 attacks.
The required instruction would include economics that focus on “the free enterprise system and its benefits” and the failures of communist systems.
At the high school level, much of the previous grades’ instruction would be required. The bill would increase the required credits a student must take of U.S. history, add a required unit of civics, and add a required unit of western civilization.
The bill would also require the use of a civics exam in high school that is not developed by the school or teacher. Students admitted to Iowa’s public universities would also be required to take a civics exam.
Lawmakers also amended the bill on the floor to require schools to include instruction on the Holocaust.
House Republicans proposed the bill this year as part of a larger focus on education standards and curriculum.
House Republicans said the bill was necessary to teach Iowa students about the high points of American history and the achievements of the country’s major historical figures. Pointing to movements to take down statues of historical Americans and growing disapproval of capitalism among young people, they said students have been taught disproportionately about the negatives in American history.
Rep. Steve Holt, a Republican from Denison, said he had been captivated in high school when learning about the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, and he does not believe students are learning about similar events now. He said the bill does not prevent teachers from instructing about the bad aspects of American history, but that it would teach students to be proud to be American.
“I believe there are many indicators that show that we have forgot that the most important aspect of public education is to teach good citizenship,” Holt said. “And essential to understanding the responsibilities of citizenship is to understand what western civilization stands for. What we stand for as Americans.”
Rep. Skyler Wheeler, a Republican from Hull, said the bill was necessary to correct what he saw as the injection of left-wing politics into education.
“It’s also concerning when people say that this is somehow one-sided,” he said. “That teaching the greatness of America — it teaches the good, the bad and the ugly. You can’t cover some of these topics without covering some of the bad things that happened in America — that that’s somehow political. It’s absolutely asinine.”
Democrats said the bill would push a conservative political agenda and take the freedom from teachers and experts to determine school history standards.
Rep. Josh Turek, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, said the bill does not allow teachers to provide a full, accurate view of American history, including its flaws.
“To be clear, I love this country, and I know that we have a long and praiseworthy history,” he said. “We have an enormous amount to be proud … But the story has not been perfect. And to only tell the good would be an inaccurate telling of our history and a disservice to our children and education system.”
Democrats pointed out the lack of requirements in the bill to instruct on Native Americans or the Jim Crow South and other historical injustices. The bill does not require general instruction on the history of slavery in the U.S., but it does call for instruction on the Emancipation Proclamation and the Pennsylvania Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery.
Democratic Rep. Ross Wilburn of Ames, who is Black, said that learning about his ancestor who was sold into slavery, along with the country’s founders’ ownership of slaves, helped him better understand and appreciate history.
“It’s despite the struggles in our history, to be able to look at a Washington, a Jefferson, and be even more amazed that they put together that flexible document despite their not living up to some of its creeds, that I’m even more impressed with them,” he said.
Democrats also criticized the bill placing specific instruction requirements on teachers, saying that state lawmakers should not be dictating curriculum for school districts. The requirements in the bill are far more specific than those laid out for other subjects, and Democrats said the number of requirements in the bill would make it impossible for teachers to cover any single issue deeply.
The American Historical Association, a national professional organization, sent a letter to state lawmakers urging them to reject the bill, saying it contains “politically inspired standards that will weaken Iowa’s public K-12 education.”
The group said the state’s curriculum protocols are an intensive, expert-guided process that allow ample time for public input. The bill, the group said, sidesteps that process to inject major changes in content pieced together from an out-of-state political group.
If enacted, this measure would disrupt the implementation of Iowa’s current academic standards,” the letter says. “The result is likely to disorient Iowa teachers and do a disservice to Iowa students, all while elbowing Iowans out of their own educational policymaking.”
www.thegazette.com
Iowa House Republicans passed legislation on Wednesday that would require schools to teach a list of social studies concepts developed by a conservative think tank that focus on the “cultural heritage of western civilization” and emphasizes a positive view of U.S. history.
House File 2544 passed in the House largely along party lines on Wednesday, 58-37. Three Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against the bill.
The language in the bill was modeled by the Civics Alliance, an offshoot of the conservative nonprofit National Association of Scholars. The group advocates for a curriculum designed to emphasize conservative values, western civilization and capitalism in civics education and push out instruction on critical race theory, diversity, equity and inclusion, and social justice.
What would students be taught?
The bill includes requirements to teach students about the structure of the U.S. government, the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, and a range of concepts, people and events in U.S. history, including the flag and national anthem, the country’s founding documents and figures like Benjamin Franklin and Frederick Douglass. The requirements would apply to both public and private schools.
In grades one through six, instruction would include the institutions of liberty that “emphasizes the good, worthwhile and best achievements of these ideals.”
Starting in seventh grade, schools would need to teach about “the study of and devotion to the United States’ exceptional and praiseworthy history.”
In grades seven and eight, the bill would require instruction on the early colonies, the Revolutionary War, the westward expansion of the U.S., the first and second world wars, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Sept. 11 attacks.
The required instruction would include economics that focus on “the free enterprise system and its benefits” and the failures of communist systems.
At the high school level, much of the previous grades’ instruction would be required. The bill would increase the required credits a student must take of U.S. history, add a required unit of civics, and add a required unit of western civilization.
The bill would also require the use of a civics exam in high school that is not developed by the school or teacher. Students admitted to Iowa’s public universities would also be required to take a civics exam.
Lawmakers also amended the bill on the floor to require schools to include instruction on the Holocaust.
Republicans: Iowa students are not taught to love America
House Republicans proposed the bill this year as part of a larger focus on education standards and curriculum.
House Republicans said the bill was necessary to teach Iowa students about the high points of American history and the achievements of the country’s major historical figures. Pointing to movements to take down statues of historical Americans and growing disapproval of capitalism among young people, they said students have been taught disproportionately about the negatives in American history.
Rep. Steve Holt, a Republican from Denison, said he had been captivated in high school when learning about the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, and he does not believe students are learning about similar events now. He said the bill does not prevent teachers from instructing about the bad aspects of American history, but that it would teach students to be proud to be American.
“I believe there are many indicators that show that we have forgot that the most important aspect of public education is to teach good citizenship,” Holt said. “And essential to understanding the responsibilities of citizenship is to understand what western civilization stands for. What we stand for as Americans.”
Rep. Skyler Wheeler, a Republican from Hull, said the bill was necessary to correct what he saw as the injection of left-wing politics into education.
“It’s also concerning when people say that this is somehow one-sided,” he said. “That teaching the greatness of America — it teaches the good, the bad and the ugly. You can’t cover some of these topics without covering some of the bad things that happened in America — that that’s somehow political. It’s absolutely asinine.”
Democrats say bill is biased, burdensome
Democrats said the bill would push a conservative political agenda and take the freedom from teachers and experts to determine school history standards.
Rep. Josh Turek, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, said the bill does not allow teachers to provide a full, accurate view of American history, including its flaws.
“To be clear, I love this country, and I know that we have a long and praiseworthy history,” he said. “We have an enormous amount to be proud … But the story has not been perfect. And to only tell the good would be an inaccurate telling of our history and a disservice to our children and education system.”
Democrats pointed out the lack of requirements in the bill to instruct on Native Americans or the Jim Crow South and other historical injustices. The bill does not require general instruction on the history of slavery in the U.S., but it does call for instruction on the Emancipation Proclamation and the Pennsylvania Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery.
Democratic Rep. Ross Wilburn of Ames, who is Black, said that learning about his ancestor who was sold into slavery, along with the country’s founders’ ownership of slaves, helped him better understand and appreciate history.
“It’s despite the struggles in our history, to be able to look at a Washington, a Jefferson, and be even more amazed that they put together that flexible document despite their not living up to some of its creeds, that I’m even more impressed with them,” he said.
Democrats also criticized the bill placing specific instruction requirements on teachers, saying that state lawmakers should not be dictating curriculum for school districts. The requirements in the bill are far more specific than those laid out for other subjects, and Democrats said the number of requirements in the bill would make it impossible for teachers to cover any single issue deeply.
Historical association says bill would weaken K-12 education in Iowa
The American Historical Association, a national professional organization, sent a letter to state lawmakers urging them to reject the bill, saying it contains “politically inspired standards that will weaken Iowa’s public K-12 education.”
The group said the state’s curriculum protocols are an intensive, expert-guided process that allow ample time for public input. The bill, the group said, sidesteps that process to inject major changes in content pieced together from an out-of-state political group.
If enacted, this measure would disrupt the implementation of Iowa’s current academic standards,” the letter says. “The result is likely to disorient Iowa teachers and do a disservice to Iowa students, all while elbowing Iowans out of their own educational policymaking.”
History curriculum written by conservative group could be coming to Iowa schools
House Republicans said the bill was necessary to teach Iowa students about the high points of American history and the achievements of the country’s major historical figures. They said students have been taught disproportionately about the negatives in American history.
www.thegazette.com
