How Will Our Children in Iowa be Taught About the Capitol Riots?

It's been exactly one year since the capitol riots.

Over the course of the morning and afternoon in Washington D.C., protests were abounding as Donald Trump supporters continued to deny the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Though President Trump remained adamant that the protests be peaceful, he added this to end the speech he gave to his following, according to BBC:

We fight. We fight like hell and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. So let's walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.

As the unrest continued to evolve, the Capitol Building was overtaken. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution put it this way: "The House and Senate had convened in joint session that afternoon to confirm Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory when rioters stormed the building in an attempt to overthrow the proceedings. Terrified lawmakers were forced to run for their lives as rioters took over the centuries-old building."

Five people were killed and, over the last year, more than 700 people have been arrested due to their involvement. There were Iowans included in that group of people, too. One from Cedar Rapids, and two from St. Ansgar.

Iowa educators now feel they must have difficult conversations about that day with their students. So, what can you expect your children to learn about one of the darkest days in American history?

Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek told KCCI that, like any issue, the number one priority will be to teach the truth. This is what he had to say on the subject:

Our educators are not putting into the conversations their own personal beliefs, their own ideas, but they're working to present the videos that were taken that day, and helping those individuals have conversations on if those actions were appropriate or not.

He added that presenting the videos and allowing students to analyze the situation for themselves would be productive, and that "history class is at times trying to prevent certain events from repeating themselves."

Though Beranek believes speaking about the events that took place a year ago is important, he stated that "if parents believe the Jan 6. Capitol riots are too sensitive of a conversation for their child, they are allowed to remove them from the lesson."