Crucial Communism Teaching Act

Bill: 118-s-634
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced: 2023-03-02
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Civics education

Elementary and secondary education

Political movements and philosophies

Teaching, teachers, curricula
Latest action: action_date: 2023-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-03-02
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Crucial Communism Teaching Act</strong></p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 634 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 2, 2023 Mr. Kennedy (for himself and Mr. Scott of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To develop and disseminate a civic education curriculum and oral history resources regarding certain political ideologies, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Crucial Communism Teaching Act . 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. 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). 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.