Princeton Students, Parents Welcome AAPI Inclusion In Curriculum

PRINCETON, NJ — In January, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation, that requires every public school to include Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) history and contributions in their K-12 curriculum.

This new law takes effect for the 2022-2023 school year.

During the recently-held Board of Education meeting, students, parents, and AAPI community members welcomed the new inclusion. Members of Make Us Visible New Jersey, an advocacy group calling for the inclusion of AAPI studies in schools, also made a presentation to the community on the new laws signed by Murphy and what it entails.

“As a child, in elementary and middle school, I felt that a lot of the things that we read, a lot of it was a Eurocentric view. And it didn't really include representation that made me feel included,” said high school senior Han Li.

“And I recognize that this bill is going to change that dramatically because of education history. But I just wanted to say that working to bring representation in progress is more than just learning about the past.”

Apart from including AAPI contribution to the curriculum, Li said that going forward, he would like to see the inclusion of more books written by Asian American authors as well.

Ngan Le, a high school junior, said that though history classes are “incredibly engaging,” they lack representation.

“Where they do have some Asian representation, much of it is negative with little to no mention of Asian American achievement, or accomplishments,” said Le.

“From Princeton Public Schools, I hope to see more breath, but also depth, and we must ensure that the implementation is taken with care. I look forward to seeing us further enrich our students with Asian American history and commit to inclusivity.”

The new legislation will also establish a Commission for Asian American Heritage within the state Department of Education

Jackie Tsang, a parent said she was determined to raise her two daughters in a more diverse environment so that they don’t "experience the same struggles” she had growing up.

“The introduction of the AAPI bill allows students to learn about the history of Asians in America and the many accomplishments they have made which benefit the daily lives of all Americans,” said Tsang.

“By educating students perhaps they will not see Asian Americans as foreigners, but an integral part of the colorful fabric of America."

She thanked the BOE for their “commitment to educating the community about the history and achievements of the AAPI community.”

According to Murphy, the laws are being rolled out to ensure that the contributions, history, and heritage of AAPI residents are included in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Social Studies for students in kindergarten through grade 12.

Angelica Allen-McMillan, the state's acting commissioner of education, said the curriculum changes will help reflect the diversity of New Jersey.

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