Florida lawmakers pass bill requiring schools teach communism’s history

Amber Jo Cooper contributed to this story.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A bill requiring Florida public schools to teach the history of communism will head to the governor’s desk for approval.

The bill requires instruction on the history of communism beginning in the 2026-2027 school year that must be “age and developmentally appropriate.”

The bill requires that the instruction be “age and developmentally appropriate” and include the following:

• The history of communism in the United States and domestic communist movements.
• Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of communism.
• Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as communism and totalitarianism.
• The increasing threat of communism in the United States and to its allies.
• The economic, industrial, and political events that have preceded and anticipated communist
• revolutions.
• The communist policies of Cuba, and the spread of communist ideologies throughout Latin America

It instructs the Department of Education to “prepare and offer standards” for the instruction on the history of communism.

Reps. Robert Charles Brannan, R-Lake City, and James Buchanan, R-North Port, sponsored the House version, where it passed 106- 7. Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, carried the Senate version of the legislation which previously passed 25-7. The House passed the Senate’s version of the bill.

Under the bill, a museum of communist history may be recommended to the legislature by the Department of State.

Lastly, it establishes the Institute for Freedom in the Americas at Miami Dade College and requires the institute to “partner with the renamed Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom to provide academic coursework and programs.”

Florida’s Voice previously reported victims of communist regimes previously gave powerful testimony during committee stops.

During debate, Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said she will not be voting in favor of the bill.

Said she “doesn’t think it’s appropriate for us to ban some historical topics while we encourage and emphasize others based on the sense of politicians in this chamber.”

Rep. Alex Rizo, R-Hialeah, voiced support for the bill. 

“This bill will teach. This bill will allow opportunities to learn. […] Communism is modern slavery. A quarter of the world’s people are enslaved, and that’s something we need to talk about,” he said. “If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be leaving it.”

In closing, Buchanan said he has heard people debate against the bill but has “yet to hear a great reason why this is a bad idea.”

Previously on the Senate floor, Collins emphasized teaching the “truth” about communism.

“About 11 or 12% of our population has direct ties to socialism, communism, some derivative there of in our state,” Collins said previously.

Collins also said that if educators fail to teach children the “pain and suffering” of socialism and communism, Americans are not only failing as parents, but also as a generation.

If signed by the governor, the bill will go into effect July 1.