Flanked by veterans of the historic Bay of Pigs invasion, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed into law a bill that intensifies the state’s stance on teaching the history and perils of communism to students as young as kindergartners. This landmark legislation, which passed with resounding support, underscores a commitment to acquainting the next generation with the contentious political ideology and its global impact.
“We’re going to tell the truth about the evils of communism,” stated DeSantis during the momentous bill-signing event held in Hialeah Gardens. The city, which played host to the ceremony, carries a deep significance as it honors the brave efforts of those who sought to dismantle Fidel Castro’s regime during the Bay of Pigs invasion.
The education bill, SB 1264, mandates that starting with the 2026-27 academic year, public school curricula will include lessons on a variety of topics related to communism. These topics range from its history in the United States and the tactics of domestic communist movements to the atrocities committed under communist rule abroad. Such lessons are to be crafted as “age appropriate and developmentally appropriate,” encompassing a comparative analysis of ideologies that starkly contrast the principles of freedom and democracy foundational to the United States.
State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. highlighted the comprehensive reach of the new education standards, ensuring that lessons on communism will permeate all grade levels. The Department of Education is set with the task of establishing these academic standards, which will also be informed by individuals and organizations who have directly suffered under communist regimes.
The initiative goes beyond classroom instruction. The law also paves the way for the creation of the Institute for Freedom in the Americas at Miami-Dade College and a proposal for a Florida-based museum dedicated to the history of communism. These establishments aim to reinforce the importance of economic and individual freedoms while scrutinizing communist ideologies across Latin America and the Caribbean.
In his remarks, Rafael Montalvo, president of the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association, powerfully articulated the sentiment behind the bill: “The most important fight against communism is the one that’s done in the schoolrooms. That’s where the battle is happening right now.”
DeSantis’s enactment of the bill on the anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion sends a clear signal about the state’s resolve to combat the influence of communism and to ensure that its history is understood in the context of the immense suffering it has caused worldwide. As the governor himself expressed, “Sometimes they’ll say ‘well true communism has never been tried,’ all this, so there are apologists for communism in our society.”
Relevant articles:
– Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs bill mandating kindergartners learn history of communism
– Gov. DeSantis signs bill that strengthens Florida education standards when teaching about evils of communism, CBS Miami, Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:03:27 GMT
– DeSantis signs teaching of communism history bill, WGCU, Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:16:00 GMT
– DeSantis signs bill to teach history of communism in Florida’s public schools, NBC 6 South Florida, Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:07:09 GMT