Republican State Rep. Skyler Wheeler introduced House File 222 on Wednesday. The bill would prohibit a school from using any United States history curriculum that in whole or in part is derived from a project by the New York Times known as the 1619 Project.
“I have filed a bill to cut funding to all public schools and universities that have any part of the New York Times’ 1619 Project in their curriculum,” Wheeler said. “The 1619 Project seeks to say that our country has been and always will be full of racism and bigotry. It attacks the Founding Fathers viciously and represents our history and heritage in the worst possible light.
“Wonder why so many attacked statutes of George Washington, General Grant and Abraham Lincoln this summer? The 1619 Project may be to blame.”
The 1619 Project attempts to deny or obfuscate the fundamental principles upon which the U.S. was founded, the bill states.
“The general assembly has a strong interest in promoting an accurate account of this nation’s history through public schools and forming young people into knowledgeable and patriotic citizens,” the bill adds.
If a district violates the law, the bill requires reductions to the budget of the district and state aid payments.
The bill also states that if an institution under the control of the board of regents uses any U.S. history curriculum during the previous fiscal year that in whole or in part is derived from the 1619 Project, the monthly appropriations paid to the institution shall be reduced by an amount proportionate to the number of days during that fiscal year the curriculum was used.
Wheeler was criticized by Randy Richardson, an organizer with Iowans for Public Education and former teacher. Richardson said the bill is absolutely meaningless, but mean-spirited.
“Far-right Republican Skyler Wheeler proposed bill forbidding teachers from using curriculum from 1619 Project and including penalties for schools violating the rule,” he said. “Maybe Republicans should develop their own curriculum that whitewashes American History.”
Lyz Lenz, a far-Left writer, said Iowans might remember Wheeler based on his use of the term “rainbow jihad.”
“Now he’s adding racist to his list of accomplishments,” Lenz wrote.
