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Committee advances bill requiring statewide guidance on teaching history of communism
Summary
The House Education Committee voted 5–1 to advance House Bill 1805, which would direct the Department of Education to issue uniform, age-appropriate guidance for Local Education Agencies on instruction about the history of communism and comparative political ideologies.
The Education Committee advanced House Bill 1805 to the full Education Committee after a sponsor presentation and limited questioning.
Representative Barrett, the bill sponsor, told the committee, "This bill 18 o 5 seeks to add, or provide guidance for LEAs across the state as it relates to, social studies or, curriculum for regarding the history of communism as we have progressed in, several decades now and a couple of generations removed from the cold war." She said the measure would direct the Department of Education to develop uniform guidance so students receive "age appropriate" instruction that includes the atrocities committed under communist regimes and comparative discussion of political ideologies.
Supporters framed the bill as an effort to strengthen civic and historical literacy. Barrett warned that "we have generations of children who think that our history begins at 09/11 and completely oblivious as to what happened back during the eighties and nineties, and everything that happened after World War 2." She said the policy aims to ensure consistent coverage across districts without necessarily adding class time.
After debate, the committee voted to advance the bill; the clerk reported a tally of five ayes and one no, sending HB 1805 to the full Education Committee for further consideration.
