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Teaching History: The Asian American experience in Illinois public schools
Description
Five years ago, Illinois became the first state to require every public elementary and high school to teach a unit of Asian American history. Lawmakers passed the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act – or the TEAACH Act – in 2021. Advocates said the bill would help combat racial stereotypes in the midst of rising anti-Asian sentiment during the pandemic, and other states have since followed in Illinois’ footsteps.
In this special edition of three stories in the “Teaching History” series, WBEZ’s Minju Park speaks to lawmakers, teachers and students about Asian American and Pacific Islander history to explore whether the promise of the bill has been fully delivered.
To read and listen to all the stories from the “Teaching History” series, check out wbez.org/teachinghistory.