Introduction to Florida’s Anti-Communism Curriculum

Florida could soon be teaching students about the “dangers and evils of communism” under proposed new academic standards that some argue amount to “propaganda” and wrongly aim to rehabilitate the reputation of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who pushed the “Red Scare” communist panic in the 1950s.

Background of the Legislation

The new standards for middle-and-high-school social studies classes stem from legislation (SB 1264) Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in 2024. The law mandates instruction on the “consequences of communism” and aims to prepare students to “withstand indoctrination on Communism at colleges and universities.” The Florida Department of Education drafted the proposed standards and released them publicly last week. The State Board of Education is to vote on them Nov. 13.

Proposed Standards

The proposed standards cover 30 pages and more than 100 standards — benchmarks for what should be covered in class — including the death toll from communist regimes, how communist policies worsened people’s quality of living and the “dangers of pro-communist propaganda in entertainment and media industries.”

But some experts worry about the state’s treatment of McCarthy, who in the standards is listed alongside then-Congressman and Senator Richard Nixon and President Harry Truman as examples of “anti-communist politicians.” The House Un-American Activities Committee, which investigated allegations of disloyalty and subversion, often in heavy-handed fashion, is described in the same way.

Criticism of the Standards

McCarthy, a senator from 1947 to 1957, and the committee were later found to have falsely accused people and to have violated Americans’ First Amendment rights. McCarthy’s biography on the U.S. Senate website notes some of his accusations were deemed “a fraud and a hoax” and that he was censured by the Senate. David Oshinsky, a Pulitzer prize-winning historian at New York University and a McCarthy expert, called Florida’s anti-communism standards disturbing. A self-described “anti-communist,” Oshinsky said the standards overstate the impact McCarthy and the House committee had on combatting communism in the U.S.

Expert Opinions

They held “one-sided” and “corrupt” investigations and “failed miserably as anti-communist organizations.” More than anything, they hurt responsible anti-communism efforts, said Oshinsky, author of “A Conspiracy So Immense: The World of Joe McCarthy.” He said the House committee and McCarthy were a “joke” and “the bottom of the barrel” in terms of honest investigations. But the standards suggest a different conclusion: that critics of McCarthy and the House committee overreached and undermined the fight against communism.

Impact on Education

Students will be required to learn that “McCarthyism” was unfairly used as “an insult and shorthand for all anti-communism” and that anti-communists were slandered through the use of terms like red-baiter and Red Scare. That worries Oshinsky. “If McCarthyism isn’t a pejorative, what exactly is it? What are we talking about here? Are we going to have people in the classroom saying that he was right?” he said. From 1961 to 1991, Florida law required 30 hours of instruction on the evils of communism and ways to fight it. The curriculum was later repealed by the Legislature, but it could now make a comeback in Florida classrooms.

Political Views

DeSantis signed the bill in Hialeah Gardens at a museum honoring veterans from the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. “We will not allow our students to live in ignorance, nor be indoctrinated by Communist apologists in schools,” he said in a statement released later. “To the contrary, we will ensure students in Florida are taught the truth about the evils and dangers of Communism.” The education department did not respond to a request for comment about the standards or to questions about who helped write them.

Conclusion

The proposed standards have sparked controversy among experts and lawmakers, with some arguing that they amount to propaganda and others seeing them as a necessary measure to educate students about the dangers of communism. As the State Board of Education prepares to vote on the standards, it remains to be seen how they will be received by the public and implemented in Florida classrooms.

FAQs

Q: What are the proposed standards for teaching communism in Florida schools?
A: The proposed standards cover 30 pages and more than 100 standards, including the death toll from communist regimes and the dangers of pro-communist propaganda.
Q: Who is Sen. Joseph McCarthy and why is he mentioned in the standards?
A: Sen. Joseph McCarthy was a senator from 1947 to 1957 who pushed the “Red Scare” communist panic in the 1950s. He is mentioned in the standards as an example of an anti-communist politician.
Q: What is the criticism of the standards?
A: Some experts argue that the standards overstate the impact of McCarthy and the House committee on combatting communism in the U.S. and that they amount to propaganda.
Q: How will the standards be implemented in Florida classrooms?
A: The standards will be implemented in middle-and-high-school social studies classes, and students will be required to learn about the dangers of communism and how to withstand indoctrination on communism at colleges and universities.
Q: What is the response from the DeSantis administration?
A: The DeSantis administration has stated that the standards are necessary to educate students about the evils and dangers of communism and to prevent indoctrination by communist apologists in schools.