While deliberating on a proposed bill mandating students and educators in public schools to participate in singing the national anthem daily, lawmakers in Iowa indulged in a sing-along.
At Least One Verse
The bill itself is seven pages long, and it also requires lessons on the anthem’s history to be taught in social studies classes. “The board of directors of each public school shall require all teachers providing classroom instruction and all students in attendance to sing at least one verse of the national anthem each school day,” it says.
House Study Bill 587
The bill — House Study Bill 587 — also requires anyone “physically able” to stand and “remove any headdress that is not being worn for religious purposes.” It would also require the entire national anthem to be sung on “patriotic occasions.”
What if They Don’t Want To?
Educators and students who don’t wish to sing would still need to stand. Moreover, the bill specifies that they maintain a “respectful silence.” Should a teacher opt not to lead the class in the activity, the school would be obligated to provide an alternative.
Assessing Student and Teacher Performance
The legislation explicitly states that school boards must not factor in a student’s or teacher’s participation when assessing their performance.
A Lawmaker Sing-Along
During the Iowa House subcommittee meeting in which the bill was being discussed, Democratic Representative Sue Cahill stood up and started singing the anthem, prompting her colleagues to join in.
Cahill Didn’t Vote to Advance the Bill
When they were done singing, Cahill thanked everyone for their participation before outlining her concerns with the bill, which she did not vote to advance.
Mandating Patriotism for Students
Cahill explained that “the school classroom is not the place for mandating the singing of the national anthem.” She equated the proposed law with “mandating patriotism for students.”
Allowing Students To Choose
In regard to “mandating patriotism,” the Democrat expressed the importance of allowing students to choose. “I think that’s something students choose and it’s something that they learn and they’ll learn it in other ways,” she said.
Cahill’s Republican Colleagues
Cahill’s Republican colleagues did not share her views. Representative Henry Stone said: “I believe that our kids should be more exposed to things like our national anthem, those that have supported our country, our servicemen — myself being one of them.”
A Third-Generation Military Man
“I grew up in a household that valued patriotism, that promoted patriotism. It’s why I joined as a third-generation military man, serving our country for 22 years — so I believe in this bill. I believe that it’s something that we can put back into our schools that has added value,” the Republican continued.
The Meaning of the National Anthem
The bill would also require teachers of social studies classes to instruct students on “the words and music” of the anthem, its meaning, and its history.
Respecting the National Anthem
Social studies students would also be taught about “the sacrifices made by the founders of the United States, the important contributions made by all who have served in the armed forces of the United States since the founding, and how to love, honor, and respect the national anthem.”
First Amendment Rights
Cahill isn’t the only person with concerns about the bill. Damian Thompson said: “Students and teachers alike do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse door.”
A Constitutional Right
Thompson, a lobbyist for Iowa Safe Schools, continued: “While I’m not crazy when people decide to kneel or sit for the national anthem, I 100% respect their Constitutional right to do so. By mandating that they stand, our students’ First Amendment rights would be violated.”
The Curriculum Requirements
Others opposed the bill over its curriculum requirements. “We’re not opposed to patriotism and all the things that are in this bill. We think a lot of this is being taught in classrooms already. We are opposed to being mandated to do some of the things that are in the bill,” Dave Daughton, a lobbyist for School Administrators of Iowa and Rural School Advocates of Iowa, said.
A Retired Teacher
The subject matter is somewhat personal to Cahill, who is a retired teacher. She also voiced worries about students losing valuable time that could be spent on the required curriculum.
Valuable Student Learning Time
“Elementary classes, for their social studies, often have 20 to 30 minutes. The amount of time it would take to not only sing, [but to] teach the singing takes away from some valuable student learning time,” she said.
A No-Brainer
Stone, who chaired the subcommittee, said he’d be open to making some changes to the bill, but he doubled down on the social studies curriculum. “Having teachers have the ability to incorporate this into their social studies program, it’s kind of a no-brainer for me,” he said.
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