Virginia Passes Legislation to Prohibit Schools from Teaching Jan 6 was Peaceful

As the old slogan says, “elections have consequences.” This is currently on full display in Virginia, where Democrats—having strengthened their grip on the state legislature last November—are moving forward with an aggressive legislative agenda.

The latest example of this shift is a bill proposed by Delegate Dan Helmer (D-Fairfax). Passed by both chambers, the legislation prohibits public school teachers from instructing that the events of January 6th were peaceful. More specifically, it permits school boards to adopt curricula regarding January 6th only if they do not portray the event as a peaceful protest or suggest that extensive voter fraud cast doubt on the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Instead, the legislation mandates that the curriculum describe January 6th as “an unprecedented, violent attack on U.S. democratic institutions, infrastructure, and representatives for the purpose of overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election.”

There is no doubt that President Trump was unhappy with the 2020 results and explored various avenues to challenge them. However, when looking at the raw numbers, the events of January 6, 2021, were not as universally violent as the “insurrection” label implies.

Out of an estimated 50,000–80,000 protesters in Washington, D.C. that day, the vast majority were peaceful. Roughly 10,000 made their way onto the Capitol grounds, and approximately 2,000 entered the building itself. It was there that the real havoc ensued, resulting in injuries to both protesters and Capitol Hill Police officers.

By the end of the legal fallout, over 1,200 people were charged with various offenses. Of those, roughly 450 were charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, and approximately 120 were charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon. Additionally, a small fraction—about 50 individuals—were charged with conspiracy.

This is not to dismiss the seriousness of the charges or the actions of those who broke the law. However, the Virginia legislature appears intent on framing the entire day as a mass riot by Trump supporters, which the broader data does not support. While it was an unfortunate event that the President did little to prevent, labeling it a wholesale “insurrection” turns a complex moment in history into a one-sided political teaching tool.

Most would agree that January 6th should be taught in schools. However, when the state mandates exactly how it must be taught—ensuring only a one-sided argument is presented—it does a disservice to the intellect of the students and the principles of open inquiry.

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