Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill into law Friday requiring all public schools in Illinois to teach a unit of Asian American history, starting in the 2022-2023 school year as the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, left, and Sen. Ram Villivalam look on.
All public schools in Illinois will soon be required to teach a unit on Asian American history and culture as part of their social studies curriculum.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed a bill known as the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History, or TEAACH Act, into law, making Illinois the first state in the nation to enact such a requirement.
The bill, House Bill 376, was sponsored by two Asian American legislators, Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, and Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago.
Under the new law, beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, all public elementary schools and high schools in Illinois will be required to teach one unit that focuses on the events of Asian American history from the 19th century to the present, including the history of Asian Americans in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as the contributions Asian Americans have made toward advancing civil rights.
The law also provides that the course work will include the contributions made by individual Asian Americans in government, art, humanities and science as well as the contributions of Asian American communities to the economic, cultural, social and political development of the U.S.
It also tasks the State Board of Education with preparing and distributing instructional materials that local districts can use as guidelines as they develop their own curriculum.
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