Republican bill will defund Iowa schools that teach history lesson on slavery using ‘1619 Project’

GOP lawmaker slams project analysing slavery in America as 'leftist political propaganda masquerading as history'

Republicans in Iowa have moved forward with plans to punish state school districts teaching the history of slavery using a project that examines white supremacy as a foundation of US government and policy. 

The 1619 Project, created by journalist and Iowa-native Nikole Hannah-Jone, has received criticism from some conservatives who objected to the version of American history featured in the programme. 

But the New York Times project, shepherded by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, has also received support from lawmakers and thousands of school districts across the country as they began implementing its teachings into class curriculums while vowing to teach students about the effects of racism and slavery. 

On Wednesday, it was reported a Republican bill was introduced in the Iowa Capitol that would reduce funding for districts where the 1619 Project is taught. 

The legislation would restrict any Iowa school from providing students with materials or instructions which attempt “to deny or obfuscate the fundamental principles upon which the United States was founded”.

Republican lawmaker Skyler Wheeler presented the bill on Wednesday, according to The Courier, while attacking the 1619 Project and falsely claiming it was made to “tear down America”. 

The lawmaker also claimed the project was “leftist political propaganda masquerading as history” while expressing support for the 1776 Project, a commission formed under the previous White House administration. 

The commission was formed as part of the administration’s efforts to strike down the 1619 Project from being taught in schools, and was disbanded after President Joe Biden signed an executive order upon taking office in January.

Democrats defended the 1619 Project for offering audiences different perspectives into the history of slavery in the US. Ras Smith, a Waterloo state representative, was among those Democrats. He said during the hearings this week: “It’s interesting some of the facts and truths that for some reason can’t coexist.”

“Fact: George Washington was a Founding Father. Fact: George Washington was a slave owner. That’s the complexity of America,” Mr Smith, who is Black, said on Wednesday. “How do we move further past these divisive times if we’re not even willing to acknowledge one truth, one fact?”