'1619 Project' creator says parents shouldn't decide what's being taught to their children in school

Nikole Hannah-Jones — the creator of the highly criticized "1619 Project" — proclaimed that parents shouldn't decide what's being taught to their children in school.

During a "Meet the Press" appearance on Sunday, Hannah-Jones opined on how much parents' should be allowed in shaping the curriculum of students. Her commentary was in reference to Republican Glenn Youngkin's victory in the Virginia gubernatorial race. Youngkin made education a cornerstone during his winning campaign and declared that critical race theory should not be part of the academic curriculum.

Host Chuck Todd asked, "The Virginia's governor's race was arguably decided on the strength of how influential should parents be on curriculum? How do we do this?"

"Well, I would say the governor's race in Virginia was decided based on the success of a right-wing propaganda campaign that told white parents that they needed to fight against their children being indoctrinated as race — as being called racists," Hannah-Jones replied without providing any evidence for her claim. "But that was a propaganda campaign."

"And I don't really understand this idea that parents should decide what's being taught," Hannah-Jones continued.

"I'm not a professional educator. I don't have a degree in social studies or science," she added. "We send our children to school because we want them to be taught by people who have an expertise in the subject area. And that is not my job."

Hannah-Jones then rushed to the defense of former Democratic Virginia gubernatorial nominee Terry McAuliffe, who proclaimed before losing the election, "I don't think parents should be telling schools what they should teach."

Hannah-Jones stated, "When the governor or the candidate said that he didn't think parents should be deciding what's being taught in school, he was panned for that. But that's just the fact. This is why we send our children to school and don't homeschool because these are the professional educators who have the expertise to teach social studies, to teach history, to teach science, to teach literature. And I think we should leave that to the educators."

She conceded somewhat, "Yes, we should have some say."

"But school is not about simply confirming our world view," Hannah-Jones remarked. "Schools should teach us to question. They should teach us how to think, not what to think."

The 1619 Project creator's comments ignited a firestorm of reactions on Twitter.

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY): "Far-left activists are trying to bully parents across America into silence, to advance a divisive, hate filled agenda seeking to indoctrinate and brainwash our children. Absolutely not! Parents need to be MORE involved in their kids’ education, not less."

Fox News contributor Rachel Campos-Duffy: "This woman and her dangerous ideas should be kept far away from our children. She knows nothing about education, parenting or history!"

RedState editor Jennifer Van Laar: "And you shouldn't be anywhere near any child."

Omri Ceren, national security advisor for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas): "She's not a professional historian either, and yet!"

Radio host Larry O'Connor: "This should be the #1 issue for voters going forward."

Radio host Mark Davis: "This is why these people must be stopped."

Last month, Hannah-Jones stressed how "important" it is for children to be taught stories from her "1619 Project."

"I think children, they are able to understand complex stories and nuanced histories and it is empowering to actually be taught a history that reflects the country that we see," Hannah-Jones said on "Good Morning America." "I think that it's so important for young people."