Do you remember learning about Brown v. Board of Education in school, John?

I remember being taught about segregation, the civil rights movement, good people standing up and fighting for equality, and how it was the first major victory for the civil rights movement — propelling the movement forward into countless marches, boycotts, and struggles to end segregationist policies.

But what will kids learn about Brown v. Board of Education this year? Or five years from now? Or in the decades after that?

Well, that will depend on if far-right extremists get their way or not.

You've seen the headlines from across the country, like the plan offered by Florida Governor, and Kim Reynolds presidential pick, Ron DeSantis to teach students that African Americans learned important, marketable skills while enslaved.

And Governor Reynolds wants to bring that type of extremist point-of-view to Iowa.

Just this week she signed a bill directing the state Board of Education to review the state social studies curriculum so that a new curriculum can be crafted. That sounds all well and good, but the bill omits a very important historical period: the civil rights movement. Not only omitting the national movement of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, but also Iowa's long anti-segregationist history that goes back to the 1860s — when the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that separate was not equal and desegregated Iowa's schools.

And we can't cross our fingers and hope that the governor's Board of Education will give a full or honest account of what African Americans were fighting for. If you need an example of why, watch the debate for this bill. Republicans could not answer the question "are Nazi's bad?"

We need an inclusive and honest retelling of our past — even the parts that make us uncomfortable. With an average age of 55 for Iowa's legislators, Republicans are trying to play teacher when most haven't stepped into a classroom in more than three decades . We should let teachers do their job and keep politics out of the classroom.

The stories, facts, and perspectives we share with children are important — and the story and facts of Brown v. Board of Education is of the utmost importance. Today, on the 70th anniversary of this monumental decision, we need to share the story of the civil rights movement, keep its legacy in our schools, and continue its fight for progress.

Stand Tall for All,

J.D.

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