Beth Ann Rosica: January 6 graphic novel sent to some local school districts, with more on the way

Almost every school district in suburban southeastern Pennsylvania is expected to receive a complimentary copy of a new graphic novel, 1/6: What If The Attack On The U.S. Capitol Succeeded? Published by OneSixComics, there are currently three volumes — the third one just released this week and one more in the works.

According to the authors, “the Graphic Novel asks and answers the question: What if the January 6, 2021 Insurrection had been successful?” Co-author Alan Jenkins, a Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School, said in an interview with Broad + Liberty that they have received a wide range of feedback on the book.

“Responses to the book have ranged from good to bad to ugly. One teacher in Pennsylvania contacted us because they heard we were distributing and requested copies for their entire class, so we sent them. Some have praised the book and others have been critical saying that there was not an insurrection.”

The website describes the series. “The graphic novel chillingly illustrates how close we came to authoritarian rule in America and the threats to our democracy that we still face. In the tradition of speculative fiction from George Orwell’s 1984 to Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale to the Twilight Zone, it explores themes of autocracy, scapegoating, strategic disinformation, and more, all told through a compelling, character-driven story.”

The book includes a call to action to remove elected officials involved in the incident on January 6, 2021. “It’s a story that demands our attention and calls on us to take action…while we still can.”

The second volume encourages readers to sign an online petition. “We call upon Secretaries of State, other State Election Officials, and Members of Congress to disquality, bar, or remove all candidates and officials demonstrated by the facts to have engaged in the 2021 Insurrection or given aid or comfort to those who did.” 

The USA Today reported in September that 60 of the 63 school districts in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties were targeted to receive a complimentary copy of the graphic novel. The list of schools included a few elementary schools but mostly focused on middle and high schools.

Broad + Liberty sent requests for comments to all 60 districts on the list and asked whether they received a copy of the book and if so, whether the district made it available for students. We received responses from twelve of the districts, and of those, only three confirmed that they had received copies, including Hatboro-Horsham and Spring-Ford in Montgomery County, and West Chester in Chester County. None of the three districts have put the book into circulation for slightly different reasons, citing policies or practices around donated books. None commented on the content.

Co-author Jenkins said that they are sending out copies of the book in waves and expect to complete all mailings prior to January 6, 2025. Therefore, almost every school district in suburban Philadelphia can expect to receive a copy of the book.

The graphic novels are speculative fiction, meaning they took the event that occurred on January 6, 2021, and imagined an alternative outcome. The concept is not new; for example, books have been written about what might have happened if the Confederacy won the Civil War.

Jenkins said that they went to great pains to research what happened and to identify lies that were being promoted as facts. They read transcripts from the congressional hearings and interviewed journalists and participants who were on site. The creators are sincere in their belief that the facts portrayed in the book are accurate. They created a “visual system to help readers identify which moments are documented facts, speculative moments supported by credible information, or fictional elements we created for the purpose of storytelling.” [emphasis original]

Despite Jenkins’ earnest claims that the graphic novel is not political and that facts and opinions are clearly delineated, the content suggests otherwise. In our current polarized political environment, this book and its calls to action seem to add fuel to an already burning fire.

Jenkins believes that students and adults should be able to discuss what happened and what could have occurred in a reasonable way as long as they are clear on what is fact versus opinion.

In addition to the polarizing content, the books contain foul language, including the words “fu*k”, “motherf****r”, “bull***t” and “pussies.” “Shut the hell up” is used twice. (The words appear in a similar format in the book.) Despite this language, the graphic novels are being sent to some elementary schools.

The book seems focused on propelling students into action, which is significantly different from a book written about a possible different outcome of the Civil War and what it might mean to our country. Those types of historical books analyze and hypothesize and do not ask the reader to take any action — other than, perhaps, to consider the consequences.

The book includes a QR code to access an Education and Action Guide that reinforces the call to action. The guide references progressive groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center and mentions banning books as a threat to democracy. The creators unabashedly emphasize their commitment to social justice through their partnership with the Western States Center, who published the guide below.

Additionally, the creators recently held a zoom training session for educators, moderated by Bucks County Beacon editor-in-chief, Cyril Mychalejko. The Beacon, by its own admission, is a progressive news outlet. “We are a reader-supported, popular, and participatory media outlet that acts as a catalyst for community organizing and action, and progressive change.”

Mychalejko was asked to host the session because he had previously interviewed Jenkins and written about the graphic novel. OneSixComics said that 200 educators signed up for the training, and Mychalejko was not compensated for his time.

The choice of selecting an editor from an admittedly progressive news outlet also seems to undermine the assertions that the graphic novel is not political in nature. The Beacon is concerned about “the growing threat of right-wing extremism to our schools.” 

Not only do the book, guide, and training present as politically motivated, they appear to encourage and potentially pressure students into engaging in social justice activities. All this is wrapped up in a comic format that appeals to young people and those with lower reading levels. 

Placement of this book in a publicly funded institution, particularly a public school, seems inappropriate. And while the creators will likely claim that I support “banning” their book, you cannot ban a book that is available on Amazon, which theirs is — and doing well with 213 reviews averaging a 4.4 out of 5 rating. But choosing not to place a controversial political, social justice call-to-action book in a public school library is not book-banning. 

Social justice initiatives and politically motivated books on either side of the aisle are not appropriate for our public schools, and teachers should be free to focus on academic achievement. Our students are struggling with proficiency in reading and math, and that is where public schools should focus their efforts. Social justice initiatives serve as a distraction from what is most important.

And while it may have been interesting and even fitting to write about an alternative outcome to that day, the sensationalism of the book undermines its allegedly sober objectives — disqualifying it for serious consideration in a public school setting.

Author’s note – While I disagree with the concept of placing these graphic novels in public schools, I want to acknowledge that the team at OneSixComics was incredibly transparent and communicative throughout the interview process.

Beth Ann Rosica resides in West Chester, has a Ph.D. in Education, and has dedicated her career to advocating on behalf of at-risk children and families. She covers education issues for Broad + Liberty. Contact her at barosica@broadandliberty.com.