Keep Politics Out of Our Classrooms
Senator John C. Liu personally benefited from due process protections in 2013, when his NYC mayoral campaign faced regulatory scrutiny over campaign finance violations and a federal investigation into alleged straw-donor schemes. Though members of his campaign faced legal charges, due process protected Liu from “guilt by association” by requiring prosecutors to prove that he had personal intent and knowledge of the wrongdoing. They could not. Despite intense media scrutiny and public anger, Liu was judged in court, not by politics or politicians. He went on to serve on the New York Senate underscoring the importance of this constitutional safeguard.
There is striking contradiction embedded in Senate Bill S6123 and Assembly Bill A3966, introduced and sponsored by Senator Liu, chair of theSenate’s New York City Education Committee, and Assemblyman Charles Lavine. If enacted, these bills will amend education law to mandate that all New York schools include instruction on the “January sixth two thousand twenty-one insurrection at the US capitol and its aftermath” in the social studies curriculum. Although more than 1500 individuals faced federal charges in connection with the capital breach, most of which have been dismissed and some cases still pending, yet no one to date, has been convicted of the crime of federal insurrection (18 U.S.C. § 2382).
These bills risk teaching students whatto think rather than how to think and show disregard for the principle that guilt must be determined through due process, not political declaration, and run counter to the spirit of New York State’s learning standards, designed to promote critical thinking, inquiry, constitutional principles, and evidence-based civic reasoning.
Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of students are struggling to read proficiently, and young children lack the historical knowledge and developmental maturity to understand the legal and constitutional meaning of a topic as complex as insurrection, making it age-inappropriate for elementary classrooms. Adding age-inappropriate, politicized content to the curriculum will divert attention from urgent academic needs and provide no benefit for already struggling students.
The justification for these bills is rooted in political rhetoric rather than historical accuracy or legal determinations, as politicians recently claimed for example: “Not since the War of 1812, when British forces set fire to the Capitol, have the halls of power in Washington been overtaken by violent intruders as they were on January 6.” Framing the event in this way overlooks other serious attacks on the Capitol in modern history including the 1954 shooting by Puerto Rican nationalists, the 1971 Weather Underground bombing, the 1983 bombing by the May 19th Communist Organization, all attacks carried out by left wing extremist organizations.
New York State’s public school system costs taxpayers billions of dollars annually and they expect measurable results from their investment. Parents expect a voice in how and when their children are introduced to sensitive and controversial topics. New York’s education system will only improve when lawmakers prioritize literacy, critical thinking, and constitutional principles over political narratives. These mandates fail to address core issues.
If we truly care about the future of our children, our schools, and our country, we should urge lawmakers NOT to support Senate Bill S6123 and Assembly Bill A3966. Instead, they should focus on policies that lead to meaningful education reform, strengthen academic achievement, and restore excellence in education.
TAKE ACTION: Contact Senator John Liu, Assemblymember Charles Lavine, and your local legislators.
Contact Senator John Liu:
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/john-c-liu/contact
Queens office: (718) 765-6675
Albany office: (518) 455-2210
Contact Assemblymember Charles Lavine:
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Charles-D-Lavine/contact
Glen Cove office: (516) 676-0050
Albany office: (518) 455-5466
