New York City Mayor Eric Adams was joined by Department of Education (DOE) Schools Chancellor David C. Banks and New York State Senator John Liu to announce the introduction of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) curriculum to NYC public schools.
The announcement on May 26 was highlighted by musical and dance performances from students from across the city, as well as student speakers who emphasized the importance of integrating AAPI studies into their curriculum.
“Our diversity is our strength, but refusing to teach our kids about our full past has left New York City students behind for far too long, that ends now,” said Mayor Adams. “As home to over a million AAPI New Yorkers, it is only fitting that we are announcing a new AAPI curriculum in city public schools that truly reflects the full picture of AAPI history in the United States. Now, ever New York City public school student will learn about the history, culture and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in this nation and understand that everyone’s stories deserve to be heard. I want to thank Senator Liu and so many others who have fought for so long to make this curriculum a reality for all.”
This new set of curricular resources – called Hidden Voices: Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States – is the third phase of the Hidden Voices Project, a companion to the NYCDOE’s Passport to Social Studies curriculum.
Hidden Voices was initiated to help NYC students learn more about and honor the innumerable – sometimes “hidden” – individuals who have shaped the collective history and identity of the United States.
Hidden Voices also allows students to find their own voices as they learn about the past and make connections with the past and present.
“Teaching AAPI history would be akin to writing my name on [our] great family book, cementing the fact that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are part of the great American family,” said student speaker, Mikayla Lin who spoke about the importance of remembering heritage through her family’s generational book which has recorded her family history for hundreds of years. “We don’t want to be segregated and separated out with the title like ‘model minority’, and we are not any less American than anybody else.”
The Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States curriculum will be piloted through draft Social Studies and Literacy mini units for all grade levels beginning in the fall semester of 2022. A more comprehensive multidisciplinary curriculum will be delivered to schools in spring of 2024.
The curriculum is being developed in partnership with leading scholars and stakeholders from a variety of institutions and organizations, including the Asian American Education Project, The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, Columbia University, the New York Historical Society and many other partners.
“The city’s commitment to an AAPI curriculum is a significant milestone that should serve as a model to be replicated throughout the state of New York,” said Senator Liu. “Kudos to the Chancellor for recognizing that the best way to stop the onslaught of anti-Asian hate that has continued unabated over the past several years is through education in our classrooms.”
