Require Asian American History in Michigan Public Schools
Require Asian American History in Michigan Public Schools
Recently, Illinois passed a law to require teaching Asian American history in public schools. Also known as the Teaching Equitable Asian American History Act (TEAACH), the law will be in effect for the 2022 school year. The law was originally known as House Bill 376, co-sponsored by Illinois Representative Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Villivalam; Governor Pritzker then signed it, making Illinois the first state to require such act. The TEAACH act will require curriculums to include Asian American history, Asian civil rights advancements, and contributions made to American society whether politically, economically, or socially.
We want to bring this law to Michigan as well.
Promptly following the emergence of COVID-19, the United States saw an uptick in the number of violent attacks against Asians. Reported to have originated from Wuhan, China, countless people have wrongfully conflated the deadly virus with Asian Americans and assumed that they had caused the disease. This early misconception fostered bias and hate crimes against Asian businesses, students, and those most vulnerable: our elders. Learning about Asian history in schools can develop universal empathy and increase understanding between ethnicities and individuals. In addition, the growth of Asian-American groups has doubled in recent decades, so learning about Asian American culture is undeniably important.
Specific historic events like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II are the few Asian history events taught in American schools, and there are more stories that should be shared within the classroom.
In Michigan, the Asian American population has grown by around 100,000 in just one year since 2020, the number continuing to grow. The Asian American population itself is around 300,000 as of 2019. Representing 0.3 million individuals, it is necessary to shed light upon Asian American history and provide a more inclusive society-- starting from education.
Sign our petition today to support our goal in making Asian American history prominent in Michigan schools.
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