by Dick Hall-Sizemore

The General Assembly has passed, and has sent to the governor for her review, legislation that would require that any  “program of instruction on or relating to the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the United States Capitol” shall:

“1. Not describe, portray, or present as credible a description or portrayal of the actions precipitating or involved in the events of the January 6, 2021, insurrection as peaceful protest;

2. Not state, suggest, or present as credible a statement or suggestion that there was extensive election fraud that could have changed or actually changed the results of the 2020 presidential election; and

3. Describe the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the United States Capitol as an unprecedented, violent attack on United States democratic institutions, infrastructure, and representatives for the purpose of overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election.”

This is so wrong on so many levels.  First, the legislature should not be getting into the specifics of what teachers teach.  We are just getting over the argument over whether evolution and creation science should have equal weight in schools.  Second, it sets a dangerous precedent for future legislatures.  For example, many conservatives would love to instruct schools not to teach that climate change is real. Finally, one can hardly, in good conscience, condemn Gov. Youngkin’s prohibition on teaching critical race theory and other “divisive” topics and then prohibit teaching certain ideas concerning the January 6 attacks and the 2020 election and require how the Capitol insurrection must be depicted.