(The Lion) — The Iowa House recently passed House File 2510, a bill requiring public university students to complete coursework in American history and government.
The measure passed largely along party lines and now moves to the Senate.
If enacted, the legislation would require students to take two introductory courses in civics – one in American history and one in American government – along with additional requirements tied to Western Civilization and civics instruction.
Students would also be required to read foundational documents such as the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
The proposal assigns three university-based centers to help build the curriculum and host lectures and debates. Supporters say the measure would rebuild civic knowledge many believe has declined on college campuses.
Iowa Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, said the effort would “restore a robust understanding of American history and civics.”
“For too long, we have seen a gradual erosion of foundational knowledge about our nation’s history, its founding principles and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship,” Collins wrote.
“Restoring a robust understanding of American history and civics is essential not only in producing informed citizens but also to fulfilling the mission of a true liberal arts education,” he added.
Supporters argue many universities have moved away from core civic education and toward more ideological instruction, making a return to primary sources and structured coursework necessary.
Chance Layton of the National Association of Scholars said other states should “absolutely” consider similar policies, though he warned about how the courses are taught.
“Professors that are effective civics and history teachers must care about the history of the nation. Prospective civics and history professors should also utilize Intellectual Freedom Centers,” Layton said.
He also cautioned the effort could fail if instruction becomes politicized.
“The project would fail if the courses were taught by scholar activists and not politically neutral history and civics professors,” he said.
Layton said colleges should present a range of viewpoints in campus programming.
“Universities should have multiple different speakers on campus that are not one-sided. Failure to do so ought to result in funding cuts for that institution, but not intellectual diversity programs,” he said.
Opponents raised concerns about cost and logistics.
State Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said the plan would create financial and staffing challenges.
“We don’t know how we’re going to pay for this and we don’t know how we’re going to staff this,” Quirmbach said. “I think that there’s a real problem there.”
Estimates suggest the changes could cost universities about $2.1 million annually, according to a report by the College Fix.
The Iowa Board of Regents said it is “monitoring the bill and will follow the language as it moves through the legislative process,” spokesman Josh Lehman said. “We will continue to work with legislature on all issues that relate to higher education.”
