‘America’s public schools have done a pitiful job in teaching students the truth about communism’
SCHAUMBURG, IL (April 16, 2026) – In 2024, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1264, “requiring instruction in public schools on the history of communism.”
“We will not allow our students to live in ignorance, nor be indoctrinated by Communist apologists in schools. To the contrary, we will ensure students in Florida are taught the truth about the evils and dangers of Communism,” DeSantis said after signing the bill into law.
In late 2025, the Florida Board of Education released updated social studies standards, which include new sections on the history of communism in sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, and high school courses. The newly revised Florida social studies standards went into effect for the 2026-27 school year.
Americans need to know that the law, despite being portrayed as “skewed,” “highly biased,” and a “revival of McCarthyism” by local media outlets, does not prescribe ideological viewpoints. Rather, it requires instruction that meets standards of professionalism and historical accuracy. It specifically notes: “Members of the instructional staff of the public schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy.”
In this FAQ by The Heartland Institute, Americans will learn why this law is necessary, what the law does and does not do, what the new standards specifically include about the history of communism, whether Florida’s inclusion of history of communism standards replace other important subjects in the social studies curriculum, if kindergarten students will learn about communism under the law, and if the law prohibits teachers from discussing positive aspects of socialist or collectivist ideas.
The Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center at The Heartland Institute serves as the “tip of the spear” in identifying and confronting the underreported challenges that threaten American sovereignty, individual liberty, and free-market capitalism. The EIC brings these emerging threats to the forefront of public and political awareness, empowering citizens and policymakers alike to act in defense of freedom and a thriving free-market society.
The following comment by Heartland Institute Editorial Director Chris Talgo, who taught social studies in public school for five years. can be used for attribution:
“As a former high school social studies teacher, I can attest to the fact that young Americans know very little about the history of communism, especially its totalitarian nature. Incredibly, numerous recent polls show that young Americans have a very warped view of communism, believing it to be fair and equitable and superior to free-market capitalism. Unfortunately, America’s public schools have done a pitiful job in teaching students the truth about communism, which has led to socialist surges in places like New York City and Seattle. To stop the march of American Marxism, public schools must teach the truth about communism. Florida’s History of Communism law is a step in the right direction, and I hope more states pass similar laws.”
Chris Talgo
Editorial Director
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
If you’d like to interview a Heartland Institute expert on this topic or other topics, please contact Donald Kendal, the director of the Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center at [email protected], or contact Executive Vice President and Director of Communications Jim Lakely at [email protected]. You can also call/text Jim at 312-731-9364.
Chris Talgo is the Editorial Director for The Heartland Institute and a fellow for Heartland’s Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center.
