A.G. Gancarski
Could students learn the names of Marx and Engels and Stalin along with their ABCs?
In Florida, it might be possible, with legislative proposals continuing to move that would teach young people the history and horrors of communism.
One is up Tuesday in the Senate Rules Committee: CS/SB 1264 would create a “History of Communism Task Force.”
The bill would compel school districts to verify that they have provided this instruction every year to the Department of Education, with the State Board of Education setting up standards for curriculum and standards for instruction.
Furthermore, the bill would empower the task force to recommend a potential “museum of communist history” to the Legislature.
The need for education may have extended to Sen. Jay Collins, who wrote the original bill language that suggested “foreign communist movements of the 20th century” included the fascist “Third Reich of Nazi Germany.” Since Florida legislators aren’t interested in covering the history of fascism and potential lessons that might have in today’s climate, that language was scrubbed from the bill in a previous committee stop.
Similar legislation is also moving in the House.
If passed, HB 1349 would require public schools to teach about communism in grades K-12 starting in the 2026-27 school year. According to staff analysis, students would learn about the movement’s history, foreign atrocities committed by communists, “cultural Marxism” and more.
“Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of Communism” and the “philosophy and lineages of Communist thought” would be taught in a way that is “age-appropriate” and “developmentally appropriate.”
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Gabrielle Russon contributed reporting.
2 comments
PeterH
February 17, 2024 at 4:22 pm
In order to find an instructional balance educators should compare and contrast extreme communist ideology with extreme capitalist ideology! There are perfect 1940 – 1980 examples of the USA propping up extreme right wing dictators and death squads in the Philippines, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Chile! Powerful USA capitalist in the United Fruit Company collaborated with third world landlords to enrich themselves at the expense of indigenous communities. Let’s take a real hard look at both extremes “means of production!”
MH/Duuuval
February 17, 2024 at 9:17 pm
Suggestion for Jay Collins: focus on totalitarian regimes — left or right — that do not have free and fair elections.
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