There is no question that the passion, dedication and honor of American servicemen and women are admirable and worth celebration by every single citizen. However, a recent piece of legislation introduced by an Iowa representative to ensure students understand the importance of the military is going about it in the wrong way.

Introduced last week, House File 476 calls for every school in Iowa to hold an assembly on or around Sept. 11 each year to commemorate the devotion of veterans and military service persons. The legislation requires the assembly “to educate students about the wars the United States has participated in, the veterans who have served the United States, the military personnel currently serving the United States, and the human costs associated with preserving the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.”

According to the legislation, the board of directors of each public and private school would be in charge of the assembly.

Although schools should include some sort of commemoration and discussion of the events of Sept. 11 and past American conflicts in the classroom, the legislature should not dictate the teachers’ curriculum.

Instead, those with backgrounds in education and deep understandings of the psychological capabilities of students at every level should decide how to incorporate such sensitive subjects into their practices. An assembly that includes kindergartners and fifth graders could include more information than youngsters can handle, but not enough for older students to empathize with veterans’ families or service persons.

A more hands-on approach to discussing the history of American servicemen and women is needed. Not only that, but the education should be comprehensive and not merely discuss the willingness of brave men and women to fight for our liberties, but also the reasons behind America’s involvement in foreign affairs, including decisions that may not be especially popular. The curriculum should include varying viewpoints where they exist, from those involved in the confrontation and beyond.

At a time when fewer students are required to take social studies, a more diverse and thorough history of our country and those who have helped maintain our liberties is needed. Not a one-sided, told-by-the-conquerors version, but an inclusive explanation that takes into account the viewpoints of other cultures. This would be more beneficial to students in Iowa and the U.S. as they move into a world increasingly less defined by political borders and instead a global community that transcends barriers of language, religion and ethnicity.