Supporting Teachers in Virginia: Teaching Asian American Histories They Never Learned

• In Event: "Invisibility Is Not a Natural State for Anyone!" The Fight for Asian American Curricular Inclusion

Abstract

In 2022, the Commonwealth of Virginia shifted politically as a governor came to power through a campaign that masqueraded as empowering parents, but really just stoked the fears of white parents especially around Critical Race Theory (CRT) in K-12 education. He carried through his campaign promises and on day one, his first executive order banned “divisive concepts” including CRT in education. Through the next months, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) rescinded all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that had been implemented with the previous governor. Unsurprisingly, the VDOE pulled out of a meeting scheduled with several education faculty in Virginia about Asian American studies in K-12 education shortly after the new governor was elected. This is the context in which community organizations and faculty are now working in Virginia to implement Asian American Studies in K-12 curriculum. In doing this work, they embody the Asiancrit tenet of (Re)Constructive History. In applying Asiancrit to education, Iftikar and Museus (2018) describe the tenet of (Re)constructive history as attending to the erasure of Asian American histories and the need to incorporate those narratives into curriculum.
This presentation draws data from interviews with community leaders as well as author notes from meetings with different stakeholders (e.g. students, faculty) in Virginia regarding Asian American K-12 curriculum. Data also includes reflections from the author’s professional work as an affiliate faculty of the Asian Pacific Islander American Studies center at her university and her involvement in the K-12 Asian American Studies Education (KAASE) initiative in Virginia. KAASE brings together curriculum development and legislative efforts to incorporate Asian American studies.
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, general actions on behalf of K-12 Asian American studies have focused more on grassroots efforts than legislative moves. While there has been some initiative with legislators who have drafted bills or professed interest, many community organizations have instead chosen to focus on what teachers need now to teach Asian American studies. Time and resources have been put into professional developments and curriculum development across the commonwealth. For some, this was an intentional decision as they feared the current administration would either not pass the bill or only do so in a watered-down, superficial version. Many have also brought up, “teachers can’t teach what they don’t know.” Even if legislation was passed, some leaders understand that if teachers aren’t prepared to teach Asian American studies, a law would not immediately change this unless enough resources were allocated with the passing of the bill.
The work of community leaders and faculty in Virginia towards implementing K-12 Asian American studies offers an important example of what will need to happen even as legislation is passed. There will need to be collective efforts across the state to support teachers with time and resources to learn how to teach a topic so many have never themselves learned.

Author

• Esther June Kim, College of William & Mary
  Presenting Author