Wisconsin requires Asian history be taught in K-12

Wisconsin has become the latest state to require that Asian American history and Hmong history be taught in schools to highlight the communities’ vast contributions to the United States.

Democratic Governor Tony Evers signed AB 232 into law as 2023 Wisconsin Act 266 on April 4. The bill requires that K-12 in public schools teach both Asian American and Hmong history.

Asians make up 3 percent of Wisconsin’s population. The state is home to the third-largest Hmong population in the US and the largest Asian ethnic group in the state at 29 percent.

Evers said in a statement: “The Hmong and Asian American communities are a critical part of our state’s history, culture, economy, and our future. It’s important that we celebrate our shared histories and honor the people who help make Wisconsin the state it is today.”

Yee Leng Xiong, executive director of the Hmong American Center Inc, a multifaceted community agency and one of the largest Hmong mutual assistance associations in Wisconsin welcomed the new law.

Xiong told China Daily: “Mandating the teaching of Hmong and Asian American history in K-12 is a pivotal step in educating future generations about the substantial contributions of these communities.

“By integrating this curriculum, AAPI students will develop a profound sense of belonging, pride and understanding, fostering inclusivity and dispelling misconceptions.”

Several other states now require that Asian history be taught in schools. In 2021, Illinois became the first state to mandate Asian history be taught in kindergarten to 12th grade.

A year later, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island followed. California passed a law in 2021 that made ethnic studies a high school graduation requirement.

Wayne Au, interim dean and professor at the University of Washington Bothell School of Educational Studies, told China Daily that it is “important that several states like Illinois and New Jersey are mandating Asian American history”.

Wisconsin already requires that K-12 teaches black American, Hispanic American and Native American history.

Evers believes that by adding Hmong and Asian American history to the curriculum it will “promote greater awareness and understanding among Wisconsin students of the histories, cultures, and traditions of these diverse communities in Wisconsin”.

Wisconsin state Representative Francesca Hong and several other lawmakers championed the law. Hong is the first Asian American legislator in Wisconsin history.

She said in a statement: “Validating the cultural heritage of thousands of Asian American students will build healthier learning environments where students from diverse backgrounds feel represented and valued, ultimately enhancing their educational experience and overall academic success.

“By including information about Hmong Americans and Asian Americans in instructional curriculum, we can provide all Wisconsin students with a well-rounded education that reflects the realities of our multicultural state and nation.”

Xiong added: “This initiative underscores that Hmong and Asian history are integral components of American history, showcasing the sacrifices and achievements of these communities.”

The Hmong migrated from southern China in the 19th century to the mountainous areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

During the Vietnam War and the Laotian War, the US considered the Hmong allies. In 1975, the political takeover of Vietnam and Laos led to thousands from the community being killed or imprisoned in those two countries.

By the mid-1970s, many Hmong were moved to Thailand as refugees and then sought asylum in other countries, including the United States, Australia, France, Canada and Germany.

Those who migrated to the US arrived in the Upper Midwest as political refugees. The last Hmong refugee families arrived in 2004 to 2006.

There were approximately 49,240 Hmong people living in Wisconsin as of 2010. There are an estimated 260,000 Hmong Americans nationwide, according to the Hmong American Center.

Teaching Asian history in US schools entered the spotlight last year after Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis mandated it be taught in K-12.

It isn’t known exactly what will be taught in Wisconsin, but students will likely learn that Asian history is vast.

That could include the importance of how more than 12,000 Chinese immigrants helped build the Transcontinental Railroad from 1865 to 1869, and how Japanese immigrants worked on sugar plantations in Hawaii.

Or it could include how the Vietnam War led Vietnamese and others to resettle and immigrate to the US after the 1975 Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act and also those who arrived after the Refugee Act of 1980.