History of Asian American Early Childhood Education in the United States and Future Directions

• In Event: A Historical Interrogation of Inequalities in Early Childhood Programs in the United States

Abstract

Asian Americans have lived in the United States for more than one hundred fifty years (Tamura, 2001). Education for their children was inscribed with deficit thinking which views them as incapable. As discussed in the Bibliography of the History of Early Childhood Education in the United States (Hinitz & Liebovich 2023), Amendments to the California School Law prohibited Black, Indian, and Mongolian children from entering public schools. Jahng (2013) states that race was a huge factor in establishing Asian American children’s unequal and disempowered state. San Francisco initiated a “separate but equal” ordinance that forced children of Chinese ancestry to attend a segregated Chinese school. It then passed school segregation laws against Japanese in May 1905, extending the law to “all Orientals” in October. Los Angeles took the opposing position, avoiding school segregation (Lascarides and Hinitz 2011). The resentment against the Japanese held by many people in the United States during the 1930s erupted into hate and suspicion following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. President Franklin Roosevelt signed executive order 9066, calling for the eviction and internment of all Japanese Americans from the West Coast, on February 19, 1942. All persons of Japanese ancestry were sent to assembly centers and later were “deported to relocation camps or internment camps” (Lascarides and Hinitz 2011). Schools were omitted from the Wartime Civilian Control Administration (WCCA) plan for the camps. However, the Japanese Americans within the camps saw a need for the creation of an educational structure for children and adults. Nursery schools to help preschool children overcome language difficulties, and prepare them for entrance into the elementary grades were opened at some

relocation camps.



“Asian American” is a generic term, as Asians are heterogeneous. They do not share the same language, religious practices/faith, looks, or traditions. These groups have very different origins regarding ethnicity and race, ecological and geographical adaptations, and histories. Diversity also exists within national groups and subgroups, and among individuals. Consequently, educators need to know that some Asian American children come from families with various capital and skills, and some do not. For example, the reason Indians or Taiwanese came to the U.S. after the 1965 Immigration Act was to pursue their advanced degrees. In contrast, many Southeast Asians, such as Vietnamese, sought asylum in the 1970s. The children of these families had a very different head start, and their needs also varied. Joo, Reeves, and Rodrigue (2016) argue that racial categories bring both risks and benefits to Asian Americans. However, they often fuel racial stereotypes.



This presentation intends to add to advocacy for young Asian American learners to receive a high-quality education. We need to recognize that Asian American children and their families are a part of US history as they bring unique personalities to this country. There is a pressing need to preserve and embrace the colorful traditions and languages of Asian American families. As a result, schools and families need to collaborate to provide meaningful learning experiences for youngsters to strive and to feel included.

Authors

• Miranda Lin, Illinois State University

• Blythe F. Hinitz, The College of New Jersey