Recently, like a spreading cancer, socialist ideology has been infiltrating American children and teenagers. As Marxist ideology continues to march into all educational institutions and consolidate its grip on power, this cancer will only continue to metastasize, forcing educators and administrators who do not march to its tune of despair to step down in resignation.
Fortunately, many Americans are awakening to the realization that Marxists pose a threat to our children and to the entire United States. State legislators are beginning to take decisive actions.
On April 17th, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1264 into law. This groundbreaking legislation, titled “History of Communism,” carries significant importance aimed at reducing Marxist indoctrination in Florida, educating the state’s young people about the evils of socialism, communism, Marxism, and collectivism.
Overall, SB1264 achieves three main objectives.
Firstly, it enhances existing curriculum standards against communism. Starting from the school year 2026-2027, public school teachers will be required to instruct students on topics such as the history of communism in America, the increasing threats posed by communism today, various humanitarian and economic disasters experienced under communist rule in foreign countries, with special emphasis on China and Cuba, political ideologies in competition like communism, authoritarianism, and democracy, as well as various events leading to communist revolutions.
To understate the comprehensive and highly beneficial nature of these curriculum adjustments would be a disservice. Their significance cannot be overstated.
Secondly, SB1264 mandates the establishment of “The Institute for Freedom in the Americas” at Miami Dade College, aiming to uphold the ideals of a free society and promote democracy in the Americas. The institute will collaborate with the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom at Florida International University to host seminars, panel discussions, conferences, offer networking opportunities for regional leaders, provide insights into knowledge, political and economic freedom that form the foundation of a democratic society, and undertake many other important tasks.
Thirdly, the law instructs the Florida government, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Education and the state legislature, to establish a Communist History Memorial Museum based in Florida.
Ultimately, this legislation will equip Florida students with the ammunition needed to resist Marxist indoctrination, whether it comes from academia, media, Hollywood, the federal government, NGOs, or any institution currently tightly controlled by Marxist ideologues. Such legislation is more critical now than ever as young people across the nation increasingly embrace socialism to an unprecedented degree.
For instance, a 2018 Gallup poll conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based opinion research consultancy Gallup found that over half of Americans aged 18 to 29 view socialism positively, with less than half favoring free-market capitalism, which is diametrically opposed to socialism from an economic standpoint. Gallup noted that in 2010, over two-thirds of young Americans held a positive view of capitalism. This represents a significant shift within a relatively short period.
Moreover, a joint survey conducted in 2019 by the London-based international data and analytics group YouGov and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington, D.C. found that 64% of Gen Z respondents and 70% of Millennials were somewhat or extremely likely to vote for socialist candidates. Equally striking, 19% of Millennials and 12% of Gen Z actually believed that the Communist Manifesto better “ensures freedom and equality for all” as compared to our Declaration of Independence.
In an ideal world, the number of socialist believers would be zero. Socialism has no redeeming qualities. To those who do not understand socialism, it may sound appealing, but behind it lies oppression, destruction, and the malevolent fist of violence.
Ironically, many of the budding proponents of socialist ideology are unaware of what socialism truly entails. This phenomenon is equally concerning. A 2019 poll by the Virginia-based Young America’s Foundation found that over half of students aged 13 to 22 could not accurately define the ideology they fervently promote on various platforms.
This is why legislation like Florida’s SB1264 is so crucial.
In the press release announcing the signing of the bill, Governor DeSantis declared, “The truth will set us free. We will not allow our students to live in ignorance, nor will we allow communist radicals in schools to forcefully indoctrinate others. Instead, we will ensure that Florida’s students receive an education on the evils and dangers of communism.”
Florida’s Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. echoed Governor DeSantis’ sentiment, stating, “It is crucial that every student understands the dangers of communism… I proudly support Governor DeSantis signing this legislation to ensure that Florida continues to be a bastion of freedom.”
Expanding on this, legislators in other states can draw inspiration from Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Diaz’s stance, using SB1264 as a template to enact their own laws. As detailed in a recent report titled “Socialism at a Glance, 2024,” by Chris Talgo and the author for The Heartland Institute based in Chicago, freedom and socialism are mutually exclusive. If socialism thrives, freedom will perish, and millions of innocent lives will be lost. The truth is that simple.
[Note: The original news writer information, including the reporter’s name, publisher’s name, editor’s name, and date of publication, has been omitted.]