New Jersey will require public schools K-12 to teach AAPI history

New Jersey students will learn more about AAPI history and contributions to the U.S.

From the first Filipino to set foot in what is now California to Vice President Kamala Harris, students in New Jersey will be required to learn  Asian American history and culture after new laws were signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Murphy signed legislation Tuesday that will ensure that the contributions, history, and heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are included in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Social Studies for students in kindergarten through Grade 12.

“The members of our Asian American/Pacific Islander community have contributed so much to our state and nation,” said Murphy. “By teaching students about the history and heritage of our AAPI community, we can ensure that the diversity of our state is reflected in our curriculum and create a more tolerant and knowledgeable future for New Jersey.”

S4021 will create an AAPI curriculum requirement for schools and S3764 will establish the Commission for Asian American Heritage within the Department of Education.

“By incorporating instruction on the history and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, New Jersey schools can provide a curriculum that reflects the diversity of our state,” said Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “In addition, the establishment of the Commission on Asian American Heritage will serve as an invaluable resource to enhance classroom instruction throughout the state.”

New Jersey joins Illinois, which passed similar legislation last July, believing that learning abut Asian American history will reduce the racist attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who are often viewed as perpetual foreigners and "others." 

Several other states -- Ohio, New York, Florida and Connecticut -- are considering similar mandates to include AAPI history in their public schools. California already passed a measure requiring high school students have a semester of ethnic studies that includes AAPI history in order to graduate.

Anti-Asian attacks have occurred throughout the U.S.'s history but have increased alarmingly since the pandemic began. Many believe that the anti-China rhetoric that was used by the Donald Trump administration helped unleash the racist beliefs held by ignorant white supremacists.

Since the pandemic began, thousands of anti-racist attacks have occurred throughout the nation, according to Stop AAPI Hate, a community-based organization that has been collecting reports of the racist incidents. 

The most recent incident was last Saturday when a man pushed an Asian American woman onto the New York subway tracks as a train was approaching. The victim, Michelle Go, 40, was killed and the suspect later turned himself in to police which is investigating the incident as a hate crime even though authorities say there is no evidence that Go was attacked because of her race.

NYPD data reports that anti-Asian attacks have increased 361% in 2021.

New Jersey is one of several states around the country mandating curriculum as a way to fight anti-Asian hate and increase cultural sensitivity. In July, Illinois became the first state to require schools to teach Asian American history.

More than 1 million people New Jersey resident identify as Asian, according to the 2020 census. The state's Asian American population grew faster in the past decade than any other large ethnic or racial group, increasing 44% since 2010, census figures show.

“All children deserve to know they belong. All children deserve to feel safe, said aid Dr. Kani Ilangovan of Make Us Visible NJ, one of the community groups advocating for the legislation. "This law will help ensure Asian Americans are represented in our great American story. ... With the rise of anti-Asian violence, education is the best antidote to hate.”

“In my classroom, I teach students that the American dream is an aspiration. For Asian Americans, aspiring to the American dream is difficult when our stories are lost or ignored,” said newly installed Assembly member Sadaf Jaffer, who teaches South Asian Studies at Princeton University.

“Knowledge is a powerful tool to heal our social fabric, and I’m proud of New Jersey for taking this important step to build a stronger and more inclusive future.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.