Florida public school students will learn the “brutal realities” of communism under new standards the State Board of Education adopted Thursday, the state’s education chief said.
The “History of Communism” will be integrated into the state’s social studies standards and implemented in the 2026-2027 school year. It’s the result of a 2024 law signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that mandates students be taught the “consequences of communism” and to prepare them to “withstand indoctrination on communism at colleges and universities.”
“With the resurgence of communist ideologies across the United States and throughout the world, it is more important than ever for students to understand the catastrophic failures and human suffering caused by communist regimes,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “Florida’s new History of Communism standards will ensure that students learn the truth about the brutal realities of life under communism and gain a deeper appreciation for the blessings of liberty that define our nation.”
Some historians criticized the new benchmarks for softening the reputation of anti-communist Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who fueled a “Red Scare” of infiltration of communism in the U.S. in the 1950s that led to public accusations and blacklisting. The standards teach students about the use of “‘McCarthyism’ as an insult” and “slander against anti-communists.”
The Florida Education Association, a statewide teachers union, objected to the standards for telling students what to think instead of encouraging critical thinking of various viewpoints.
Florida is one of two Republican-led states that have adopted required teaching on the history of communism this year.
Arkansas passed a law requiring public schools to teach about “the dangers of communism’s past and present.”
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that requires instruction on the “history and crimes of communism.” The new standards take effect in the 2026-2027 school year.
Arizona saw a few bills introduced over the last two years with similar goals, but none were passed. One would have required 45 minutes of instruction on the history of communist regimes and established Victims of Communism Day. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed the bill.
Another would have required instruction on comparative politics including the history of communism in the United States and domestic communist movements. It also would have required teachings on “the atrocities committed in foreign countries by communist regimes.”
DeSantis, who appoints members of Florida’s State Board of Education, has been outspoken about his support for instructing students on communism’s history.
In 2022, he signed a bill into law establishing Victims of Communism Day, which requires schools to provide at least 45 minutes of instruction about how victims suffered under communist regimes.
The 2024 law requiring instruction on communism also created the Institute for Freedom in the Americas and the Museum of the History of Communism.
“The truth will set us free,” DeSantis said at the time. “We will not allow our students to live in ignorance, nor be indoctrinated by communist apologists in schools. To the contrary, we will ensure students in Florida are taught the truth about the evils and dangers of communism.”
