New York Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that public schools in his city will begin teaching the history and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders next school year.
“This new curriculum is a milestone in our ongoing support to AAPI students and families in our public schools and communities,” said Schools Chancellor David Banks.
According to the Daily News, the announcement is the result of years of lobbying from Asian American leaders.
“Asian Americans have been scapegoats for a lot of things over our entire history,” said state Sen. John Liu (D-Queens), the sponsor of a bill requiring the teaching of Asian American history. “The reason we get blamed and therefore hated and attacked is because of ignorance,” he added. “There is still an ongoing lack of knowledge of what Asian American are. We’re either model minorities or perpetual foreigners.”
The Education Department says it will distribute culturally diverse AAPI books and that a more fully developed curriculum will be implemented by 2024, reported CBS.
“Making sure that people know that our Asian history is just as American as everyone else’s,” said U.S. Rep. Grace Meng. “Things like the Chinese laborers building the transcontinental railroad.”
NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams announced a new curriculum that teaches students about the history, culture and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
As CBS2’s Lisa Rozner reported Thursday, it comes after months of pressure to make the change.
New York City students danced and sang inside Tweed Hall, celebrating AAPI heritage. Starting in the fall, each grade will be learning about it, too.
“There’s nothing more tragic than a Caribbean student sitting next to an AAPI student not knowing the rich history of that student,” Adams said.
There are more than 1 million AAPI New Yorkers.
Teachers will use a guide that includes profiles of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. to launch a pilot program in social studies and literacy units.
“Such as Anandibai Joshee, the first woman of Indian ancestry to be a doctor of western medicine, Patsy Mink, the first Asian American woman elected to Congress, and Helen Zia, Chinese American journalist and activist,” New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks said.
“I went to New York City public education here and actually I never heard about the history of anyone that looked like me,” New York City Council Member Sandra Ung said.
