Del. Bill Would Require “Comparative Political Ideology’ Instruction In 10th Grade

Are Delaware students learning all they should know about the U.S. and its founding principles, and how they compare and contrast with communist or totalitarian systems?

State Senator Bryant Richardson, R-21st of Sussex County is sponsoring a bill that would require instruction to 10th-grade students in “comparative political ideology.” According to Richardson, such a course would help educate young people about political ideologies – including communism and totalitarianism – that “conflict with the founding principles of the United States.”

“It’s just very important for our young people to understand that it’s the citizens, it’s the free enterprise system that we have in this nation that has made our country great, not a centralized group of elite leaders who dictate to others what they can and cannot do,” Richardson said.

From the bill:

The purpose of this instruction is to do all of the following:

(1) Explore various political ideologies, including communism and totalitarianism.

(2) Highlight the conflict other political ideologies have with the founding principles of the United States.

(3) Prepare students to be responsible citizens in a free democracy.

(4) Develop a recognition of and acceptance for the responsibility for preserving and defending the blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations and secured by the United States Constitution.

(5) Reaffirm the commitment to freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States.

Richardson also said that first-person accounts from people who lived under totalitarian environments would be an important part of the learning experience.

“They’re fearful because they see what’s going on in our country as being something that they left because they didn’t like the ruling class, the totalitarian type of government that they escaped from – especially from China,” Richardson said.

Senate Bill 206 will be discussed during a virtual hearing of the Senate Education Committee Wednesday, January 19th at 11:30.

To register and listen in or testify, please CLICK HERE