Today, January 21, 2024, marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1974 Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols, which created the legal basis for bilingual education and language access services and expanded rights for students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
Since the decision, courts have relied on Lau v. Nichols for several language access cases, which have increased opportunities for LEP istudents nationwide, including instruction in Asian languages such as Chinese, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
The historic case "continues to be a significant milestone for educational equity and language access for AANHPI and immigrant communities today," said Rep. Judy Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus.
This class suit brought by non-English-speaking Chinese students against officials responsible for the operation of the San Francisco Unified School District sought relief against the unequal educational opportunities, a decision which violatd the the 14th Amendment, which bans discrimination based on “race, color, or national origin.” The Supreme Court ruled that students who require additional English instruction to succeed in school have a right to those services.
In 2020, five million public school students, including over half a million Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students, were English learners and eligible for language assistance.
"As we recognize this anniversary of Lau v. Nichols, we must build upon its legacy by increasing language access across the entire federal government, so that everyone that calls America home can fully participate in public education and all areas of public lifem” said Chu.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the blog Views From the Edge.
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