Illinois becomes first U.S. state to require Asian-American history in schools

[mucifer]

July 9 (Reuters) - Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Friday requiring public schools to teach Asian-American history, the first such step by a U.S. state amid rising concerns about violence against people of Asian descent.

The bill mandates the teaching of a unit of Asian-American history in public elementary and high schools starting in the 2022-2023 school year.

"We are setting a new standard for what it means to truly reckon with our history," said Pritzker, who signed the legislation into law at a high school in Skokie, a suburb of Chicago.

Educating children about the contributions of Asian Americans in U.S. history would help curb the proliferation of false stereotypes and discrimination, the Democrat governor said.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/illinois-becomes-first-us-state-require-asian-american-history-schools-2021-07-09/?utm_source=reddit.com

More reasons to be proud to be from Illinois
We also will probably stay blue because we are INCREASING voter accessibility this year.

[Blue Dawn]

1. What a wonderful idea!

I can't recall ever hearing about any Asian-Americans in my history classes as a child and teen. I wonder if any other DUers had a similar experience. Maybe those younger than I did hear such history. I would be curious to hear of others' experiences.

Thank you for your post! It is sparking a desire in me to start doing some research.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Hope the curriculum includes the inhumane

internal deportation of Japanese-Americans to detention camps. The shame of Koramatsu.

[murielm99]

3. I am proud to live in Illinois.

[Thomas Hurt]

4. My libertarian (wink,wink) step brother (IL native) will be incensed.