Sen. Collins bill mandating accurate communist teachings in public schools clears committee

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida legislation by Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, creating a task force to evaluate and determine the accurate teaching of communist history in classrooms passed its first committee assignment on Tuesday.

Collins’ bill, SB 1264, passed favorably by the Senate Committee on PreK-12 Education.

The legislation would create a task force to work with the Florida Department of Education to craft curriculum standards on the “instruction and history of communism.”

“It focuses on the history of domestic communist movements, their tactics within the U.S. and abroad, the philosophy and lineage of communism, including Marxism, foreign communist movements of the 20th century and the Communist socioeconomic policies of Cuba, Venezuela, etc.,” Collins said.

He said that the task force would have an expiration of June 30, 2025, or earlier if a recommendation by the Florida Department of Education or the legislature were made prior to the date.

A technicality amendment was also adopted by the committee for the legislation.

A member of the public warned of taking a “biased approach” when it came to the teaching of the ideology.

Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, thanked Collins for sponsoring the bill, emphasizing the importance of teaching accurate history.

“I think it’s really exciting for young people to understand and study the history of communism,” she said. “The hundreds of millions dead in the 20th century, the lives destroyed, the families displaced, and to understand that that is so close to us.”

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity for young people to understand the devastation caused by this political ideology in practice,” she said.

If signed into law, the bill would go into effect on July 1.