Lawmakers tout communism education bill as it makes progress, victims of ideology testify

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Victims of communist regimes joined Florida lawmakers during a committee stop and press conference on Tuesday.

They spoke in favor of the bill requiring the teaching of the ideology’s history in Florida classrooms.

The bill’s most recent action included unanimous approval in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Education.

HB 1349 and SB 1264 are the House and Senate versions of the legislation. The press conference was attended by its sponsors, Reps. Chuck Brannan, R-McClenney, and James Buchanan, R-Osprey; and Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa.

They were also joined by other lawmakers, including, Sens. Bryan Avila, R-Hialeah Gardens, Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral; Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview, and Speaker-Designate Daniel Perez, R-Miami.

The bill requires age and developmentally appropriate education on the history of communist regimes, the influence of communist ideologies and the results of the belief system be incorporated into the state’s 2026-2027 K-12 curriculum.

“We’re here today to talk about education, our nation and why it’s so important to educate our youth on the reality of Communism and Socialism,” Collins said.

“Our nation wasn’t built because of a dictator taking freedoms away, it was built because on an idea of freedom, liberty and justice for all,” he said. “And the point I want to make clear today, and the thing that I don’t think we talk about enough, it’s okay to love this nation for all its strengths all of its weaknesses, we are very, very blessed.”

He explained 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.

Several of the victims of the communist regimes that spoke came from countries such as Vietnam and Nicaragua. They talked about their freedoms that were taken away, including their rights to religious expression and bodily autonomy.

One individual specifically touched on the fact that in his country, Nicaragua, those he knew “lost everything” because they acted “too late.” He explained that they didn’t think there was any danger when the ideology took over the nation.

Rodriguez said that identifying the dangers of communism and sharing it with Florida children should be of “utmost importance.”

“Here in Florida, and among other parts of the country, we’ve seen a movement towards removing statues and things that talk about the history of our country. The good, the bad and the ugly,” she said. “And there’s things about our country that are not the most pleasant things, but I think it’s important to know the history and that way you don’t repeat the history.”

“Teaching children what the implementation of Communism looks like is only the beginning and you have to stop it and nip it in the bud, because if we don’t do that here in Florida and throughout the country, it can penetrate this country,” she said.

Alvarez said that the legislation should be something that doesn’t even get any controversial attention.

“Teaching kids about the dangers of communism. Who thought that would be a line that we want to divide on?” he said. “The only reason you’re hearing my voice today is because someone voted ‘no’ in committees.”

Reps. Patricia Williams, D-Pompano Beach, and Bracy Davis, D-Orlando, voted against the House bill while it was in a committee stop on Feb. 13, claiming that the proposal is “hurtful” and would “divide” classrooms.

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, was asked by Florida’s Voice about the communism education bill. Although she didn’t directly state her opinion on the bill, she said that it was very important to teach history in a “wholistic” way, and that she is “always” concerned about bias when the subject is taught.

Werther Marciales, a constituent of Buchanan, brought the issue of teaching the history of the ideology to the lawmaker’s attention.

“I’m someone that was born with the privilege of living in America,” Marciales told Florida’s Voice. “I’ve never experienced what it’s like to not have freedom.”

“So don’t listen to me. Listen to the people that gave their testimonies today, that came from these other countries as political refugees and were extradited in some cases after having served 20 plus years in prison, before our government negotiated them coming to the United States, and they can tell you what communism was really like,” he said.

Marciales said that it’s not just the “starvation,” it’s the “psychological terror” of not knowing who would turn you in, or not knowing if you could trust your own family.

“Because that’s what this ideology does,” he said. “It removes the centerpiece of civilization, which is the family. And says, ‘the state is your family now.'”