Dive Brief:
- Schools in Wisconsin will be required to teach about the contributions and history of Asian Americans and Hmong Americans, according to a bill signed by Gov. Tony Evers on April 4.
- Wisconsin Act 266 adds Asian Americans and Hmong Americans to the list of groups — including Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans — whose history and contributions school boards must include in the curriculum. This includes providing K-12 students with an awareness and understanding of each community's history, cultures and traditions.
- Seven other states required Asian American studies in schools as of March 2022, according to a report from the Committee of 100, a nonprofit membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans. The committee also reported that education agencies in 12 states and the District of Columbia have academic standards for Asian American and Pacific Islander studies.
Dive Insight.
Wisconsin is home to the third-largest Hmong population in the United States, according to a press release from Evers' office.
“The Hmong and Asian American communities are a critical part of our state’s history, culture, economy, and our future," said Evers, in a statement. "It’s important that we celebrate our shared histories and honor the people who help make Wisconsin the state it is today.”
According to a legislative update from the Wisconsin School Boards Association, similar bills had been introduced in the Wisconsin State Assembly in previous legislative sessions.
"The idea has slowly gained an enormous showing of bipartisan support," the association said.
The seven states requiring Asian American studies in their K-12 curriculum, as of 2022, were Illinois, New Jersey, Colorado, Nevada, California, Oregon and Nebraska, according to the Committee of 100.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents, according to nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice, which advocates for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans.
In 2023, schools became the third most commonly known location for hate crimes, according to FBI data released earlier this year. Between 2018-2022, hate crimes more than doubled at elementary and secondary schools.
