Asian Americans in New York City are requesting to be included in the city’s education department’s cultural curriculum, aimed at fostering an agenda of diversity.
More than 2,500 parents and others affiliated with public schools in the city signed a letter sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Schools Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter requesting the incorporation of Asian American history in education priorities.
ASIAN MAN, 61, IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER BEING KICKED IN THE HEAD
“There hasn’t been any focus on the Asian-American experience. We need to teach our kids about the contributions of Asian-Americans to this country,” wrote Yiatin Chu, one of the letter’s authors, according to the New York Post.
The lack of Asian American awareness in schools casts their experience as “perpetual foreigners,” making them vulnerable to prejudice, Chu added.
the authors of the letter are requesting Asian American history to be taught in all public schools, the recognition and celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, and educational tools on how students can confront racist incidents.
Hate crimes targeted against Asian Americans spiked 150% nationwide since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.
The Department of Education said it will work toward including more learning opportunities featuring the history and culture of Asian Americans in schools.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“The DOE produces and provides high-quality, culturally responsive curricula and resources for schools, and this letter underscores the importance of that work,” New York City Department of Education spokeswoman Sarah Casasnovas told the New York Post. “We remain committed to making sure our Asian American and Pacific Islander students see themselves and their peers in the books they read and the lessons they learn.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to the New York City Department of Education for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
