Educators in the state of Florida will soon be required to teach Asian American and Pacific Islander history as part of recent education curriculum signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
NBC affiliate WPTV-TV reports that Florida will join Illinois and New Jersey among the states that require AAPI history as part of the curriculum. Illinois became the first state to require such education in 2021.
Lessons must include “the history of Japanese internment camps and the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II; the immigration, citizenship, civil rights, identity, and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to American society" according to the bill.
"I am often treated like a perpetual foreigner, especially during my childhood," said Make Us Visible Florida Director Mimi Chan. "If I had learned about the civic contributions of Asian Americans, I would have felt proud to be an Asian American, especially here in Florida where Lue Gim Gong's innovative cold-resistant oranges saved the citrus industry when cold fronts came through.”
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
The bill received unanimous support in the Florida Senate and passed the Florida House by a 112-3 margin.
