DeSantis Signs Bill Requiring Students To Learn About Victims of Communism
A Florida communism bill was signed into law earlier this week mandating that high school students learn about the victims of communism.
Florida seems to be the center of attention in a politically driven culture war dividing America. Much of that has been fueled by the education system, which the Sunshine State’s Republican Governor has championed over a slew of bills reforming public schools. In the past few months, Governor Ron DeSantis has enacted laws banning gender and sexuality discussion for students in Kindergarten to 3rd grade, and similarly, any type of lessons for all grades discussing racism in the US, if it may impose a sense that the students are inherently racist. Now, DeSantis has made waves again, this time for a law requiring students to learn about the horrors of communism, through a signed Florida communism bill.
According to reports from NBC Miami, DeSantis signed a bill pioneering a state-wide “Victims of Communism Day” every November 7th. The Florida communism bill, or House Bill 395, not only establishes the day of recognition, but it also requires high school students in U.S. government class to receive 45 minutes of instruction given on that day dedicated to the topic. The new law will be enacted inside Florida classrooms starting in the 2023-2024 school year.
The Florida communism legislation discussed the history of communism around the world, and touched based on some of the topics high school children will soon be required to learn about. It spoke of the significance that 100 years have now passed since the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia when the first known communist government was founded under Vladimir Lenin. It also spoke of communist regime leaders throughout history, such as Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, and Fidel Castro. Within this, the new law will require students to learn about the atrocities brought on by communist parties, such as the millions of people subjected to exploitation and political repression.
DeSantis praised the Florida communism bill at its signing ceremony inside the Freedom Tower in Miami this past Monday. DeSantis, and other advocates applauded the passage of the legislation in a state hard hit by the touch of communism. A majority of Cuban-Americans reside within the state of Florida. Many of them fled to the country during the Fidel Castro communist regime.
For DeSantis’ countless left-swinging critics, the Florida communism bill was met with plenty of disdain. Pundits clapped back with a claim of hypocrisy on the governor’s part. An op-ed written in the Miami Herald spoke of this, drawing reference to the recent controversy in Florida education, as it compared DeSantis’ administration’s decision to place strict mandates on school teachings to those within many communist regimes. It likens Florida’s book banning, censorship of textbooks, and oppressive legislation barring teachers from discussing a slew of gender and racial matters with students to the way communist parties have controlled students through government-controlled education practices.
Florida isn’t the only state to declare a dedicated day to recognize Victims of Communism Day, and it will likely not be the last one. However, it does seem to be the first state to mandate schoolchildren to learn about the wrongdoings of the political ideology. In truth, history classes across the nation already touch on the history of communism, especially those in government courses. But in the state of Florida, the new law mandates that all students will be lectured on communism, whether the practice is agreed upon or not.
