Statement from Committee of 100 on Delaware Requiring Asian American and Pacific Islander History to be Taught in Public Schools
New York, NY (October 7, 2024) — Committee of 100, a nonprofit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today issued the following statement supporting Delaware’s new legislation mandating that Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history be taught in the state’s K-12 curriculum. Delaware becomes the seventh state to require AAPI history to be taught in K-12 public schools, joining New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
“For centuries, Chinese Americans and the AAPI community have significantly contributed to the growth and development of the United States. With the rise in xenophobia against the AAPI community in recent years, it is more important than ever to address both AAPI’s contributions to the U.S. as well as the challenges we face. We hope that state governments and education leaders will take inspiration from Delaware and the other states that have established similar laws requiring the inclusion of Chinese American and AAPI history in public school curricula nationwide. AAPI history is American history.”
Lesson Plans
Earlier this year, Committee of 100 along with The Asian American Education Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to diversifying school curricula to include Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) histories and narratives, launched a five-part curriculum series that focused on the challenges, opportunities and contributions of Chinese Americans. The lesson plans can be downloaded for free here.
Upcoming Free Education Webinar Series
Join Committee of 100 and The Asian American Education Project for a three-part webinar series that examines the rich contributions of Chinese Americans to U.S. society, both historically and in the present day. Specifically designed for Grades 6-9 educators and open to everyone, the series addresses three main topics: (1) the impact of the Perpetual Foreigner Stereotype on Chinese Americans, (2) Chinese American contributions in food, arts, and film, and (3) Chinese American contributions in business, science, and technology.
The first webinar will take place on Thursday, October 17th at 4PM ET, and then re-done for the West Coast at 7PM ET. RSVP information can be found here.
