Florida’s New Curriculum on McCarthyism Distorts History and Threatens True Understanding

Florida has taken a bold—and concerning—step with its newly approved social studies standards that reshape how students will learn about McCarthyism and the Cold War. Rather than presenting an honest, nuanced view of one of America’s most fraught historical periods, the state’s curriculum paints Senator Joseph McCarthy and anti-communist efforts as heroic defenders against communist infiltration.Why Does Florida’s Approach Undermine Freedom and Historical Truth?This portrayal comes at a time when preserving national sovereignty means confronting threats with clarity, not sugarcoating uncomfortable truths for political convenience. The new standards emphasize “slander” against anti-communists and warn against using terms like “McCarthyism” as...