The Wisconsin State Senate has unanimously approved a bill to require schools to teach the history of Asian American people.
“This is a historic moment for Wisconsin made possible by multi-ethnic, multigenerational and multiracial coalition-building across the state,” State Rep. Francesca Hong, a lead sponsor of the proposal, said in a message to Madison365. “Asian American history is American history. For Asian American students to see themselves reflected in their textbooks will enrich the classroom culture for all students inspiring them to share their stories and feel seen.”
“It’s just a historic vote,” Kabby Hong, an English teacher at Verona Area High School and the 2022 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year, said in an interview Wednesday. He is not related to Francesca Hong.
Verona became the first school district in the state to require Asian American history in its curriculum in 2022.
Current law requires the teaching of Black American, Latino American and Native American history. The bill approved Tuesday, which awaits the signature of Governor Tony Evers, adds Asian Americans and Hmong Americans to the list.
“By requiring schools to incorporate the rich tapestry of Asian American and Hmong American narratives into their instructional programs, Wisconsin demonstrates a commitment to providing all our students with a comprehensive understanding of the nation’s diverse heritage,” AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin Education Committee chair Lorna Young said in a statement.
Kabby Hong said the addition of Asian American history to the curriculum was first proposed in 2005 and took nearly 20 years to pass because “it’s a blind spot being passed down generationally.”
“We’re so considered perpetual foreigners, that we’re not even considered in the discussion when it comes to identities worth talking about,” he said.
Kabby Hong said a focus on Hmong American history is especially important in Wisconsin, which has the third-highest Hmong…
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