Crucial Communism Teaching Act
Bill: S.3679 | Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John (R-LA)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Crucial Communism Teaching Act
This bill directs the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to develop a civic education curriculum and oral history resources for high school students to promote understanding of certain political ideologies (e.g., communism and totalitarianism) that conflict with principles of U.S. democracy.

To develop and disseminate a civic education curriculum and oral 
history resources regarding certain political ideologies, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Crucial Communism Teaching Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are the following:
            (1) To help families, civic institutions, local 
        communities, local educational agencies, high schools, and 
        State educational agencies to prepare high school students to 
        be civically responsible and knowledgeable adults.
            (2) To ensure that high school students in the United 
        States--
                    (A) learn that communism has led to the deaths of 
                more than 100,000,000 victims worldwide;
                    (B) understand the dangers of communism and similar 
                political ideologies; and
                    (C) understand that 1,500,000,000 people still 
                suffer under communism.

SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF CIVIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND 
              ORAL HISTORY RESOURCES.

    The independent entity created under section 905(b)(1)(B) of the 
FRIENDSHIP Act (Public Law 103-199; 107 Stat. 2331), also known as the 
``Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation'', shall--
            (1) develop a civic education curriculum for high school 
        students that--
                    (A) includes a comparative discussion of certain 
                political ideologies, including communism and 
                totalitarianism, that conflict with the principles of 
                freedom and democracy that are essential to the 
                founding of the United States;
                    (B) is accurate, relevant, and accessible, so as to 
                promote the understanding of such political ideologies; 
                and
                    (C) is compatible with a variety of courses, 
                including social studies, government, history, and 
                economics classes;
            (2) develop oral history resources that may be used 
        alongside the curriculum described in paragraph (1) and that 
        include personal stories, titled ``Portraits in Patriotism'', 
        from diverse individuals who--
                    (A) demonstrate civic-minded qualities;
                    (B) are victims of the political ideologies 
                described in paragraph (1)(A); and
                    (C) are able to compare the political ideologies 
                described in paragraph (1)(A) with the political 
                ideology of the United States; and
            (3) engage with State and local educational leaders to 
        assist high schools in using the curriculum described in 
        paragraph (1) and the resources described in paragraph (2).

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    The terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801) shall apply to this Act.
                                 <all>