Press Release
AALDEF Testifies in Support of Maryland House Bill 922 to Require Asian American History in K-12 Schools
Maryland State House, House of Delegates Chamber. Credit: Arlane Crump
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland — Today, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) submitted testimony to the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee in favor of House Bill 922, which calls for Asian American history to be taught in K-12 schools in Maryland.
In his testimony, AALDEF Co-President Phil Tajitsu Nash says that teaching Asian American history “will show us as human beings who have taken charge of our own lives and who are bettering society as a whole by standing up for our rights. It also shows history as the kaleidoscope that it is, not a one-dimensional snapshot that paints us as model minorities or perpetual foreigners.”
“This legislative work is part of AALDEF’s effort to proactively address anti-Asian violence,” said AALDEF Executive Director Margaret Fung. “Our #StopAsianHate work will continue to address incidents of hate as they occur, but we hope that by fostering greater awareness of Asian American history we can decrease the chance that these incidents will occur."
“Delegates Kris Valderrama and Lily Qi are to be congratulated for taking the lead on this important initiative,” said Nash. “We also appreciate the work of Senators Clarence Lam and Susan Lee to push the companion bill SB 304 through the Maryland Senate.”