Florida Schools to Mark Victims of Communism Day
The state encourages observance on Friday, November 6, 2026, as November 7 falls on a Saturday this year.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Florida is encouraging schools to recognize Victims of Communism Day on Friday, November 6, 2026, rather than the designated November 7, which falls on a Saturday. State law requires at least 45 minutes of instruction on the subject for students in grades 6-12.
Why it matters
The observance honors the anniversary of the Bolshevik Party taking power in Russia in 1917, which later led to the formation of the Soviet Union. Lawmakers have set required instruction time, placing the topic within the state's secondary curriculum.
Florida law requires a minimum of 45 minutes of Victims of Communism Day instruction for students in grades 6-12. The state is encouraging the observance on Friday, November 6, 2026, or on a day designated by local school officials.
The players
Henry Mack
Florida Education Commissioner who posted a statement on X about the Victims of Communism Day observance.
The details
Instruction may include content on Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution, Joseph Stalin and the Soviet System, Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution, and Nicolás Maduro and the Chavismo movement. Instruction may not include the Trump administration.
Timeline
November 7, 1917: The Bolshevik Party took power in Russia.
September 2026: Education Commissioner Henry Mack posted a statement on X about the observance.
Friday, November 6, 2026: State-encouraged date for the Victims of Communism Day observance.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Designated Victims of Communism Day under state law.
Curriculum Context
Florida's designation of November 7 under state law sets a fixed annual date for Victims of Communism Day in secondary schools. This year the state is encouraging a Friday observance because the designated date falls on a Saturday.
Families of students in grades 6-12 in Florida should check with their local school district to learn whether the observance will take place on Friday, November 6, or another day. Schools must provide at least 45 minutes of instruction on the topic.
The takeaway
Students in Florida's secondary schools will receive instruction on Victims of Communism Day this November, with the timing set by state guidance and local school decisions.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Secondary Education in Florida.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FlaglerLive.
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